Fantasygods.com Blog

New Fantasy Football Game

2006-08-13T15:09:00.000-04:00

It is Like Two Great Tastes in One Candy Bar

Doyou like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? What if you could combine your fantasy addiction with say, a players value or worth at a particular time? Like playing the fantasy football stock market. Well now you can, and you can register for free. If you can not get enough of fantasy football then join up and compete for cash prizes.
New Fantasy Football Game. Win cash and prizes for playing a sports stock market game. Free to join. Sign up now.

Sign up now for football while the values are
still low - buy low sell high! Hey, you've got nothing to lose -
it's free.

New Fantasy Football Game. Win cash and prizes for playing a sports stock market game. Free to join. Sign up now.

Top 6 Running Back Steals

2006-08-08T22:27:00.000-04:00

Make no mistake, these are not the six best running backs on the board, but they are the six best picks by position that you can make on draft day. Based on where they are currently being selected (ADP) in fantasy drafts, these players provide maximum value for their forecasted fantasy returns in 2006.

For those of you who have already drafted, it’s not too late as we recommend trading for these Top Six Running Back Steals! If you plan on winning your league make sure to get a few of these gems on your team this season!

Read more here.

Most Likely to Get Injured List 2006

2006-08-06T22:04:00.000-04:00

Injuries:

“It happens.”, at least that is what Forest Gump quipped in the edited for TV version of the movie. And he’s right; it does happen; at least to me.

You draft a great team and start the season strong, rolling up points and victories, knowing that the Championship will soon be yours. Then, unexpectedly, at least to you, “it” happens….INJURIES.

You’re on the couch on a Sunday afternoon, checking the stats and you see one of your players is stuck at the same yardage. Hmmm; maybe the computer hasn’t refreshed itself, you think. After refreshing the computer, your player’s stats still haven’t changed and the panic sets in. Is he hurt? Is it a concussion? Is it an ACL? Is he done? Is my team finished? Scrambling, you surf the net for any player updates. Then you switch to FOX or CBS to find info and then you see it; a horrific replay of your WR’s ankle being broken in four places…so much for the championship! You then tell yourself, “I should have never drafted him, I knew he was going to get hurt!”

Read the entire article here.

Evaluating the Average Draft - July

2006-08-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

The average draft information for a league like the one you will be involved in can provide great insight into where particular players are going to be taken. There are of course exceptions like when an owner drafts from his favorite team early or an owner jumps on a ‘sleeper’ too early. Below we will go through the average draft information for the month of July and see what it is telling us. It is, after all, the collective thinking of the die hard fantasy football players at this point.We will assume a 12 team league that scores on high performance and requires a tight end and receptions are valued at 1 point per. We will do another evaluation in mid August, right before the majority of drafts are done.

***For different scoring scenarios check out other average draft information here.

Round 1
Continue article here.

Steve Smith Injures Hamstring

2006-07-30T07:11:00.000-04:00

Midway through the afternoon session, Smith pulled up while running a long route down the left sideline. He immediately clutched his left hamstring, took a couple of steps and fell to the ground.

Two trainers came to his side, and Smith slowly got to his feet after about a minute. He threw his gloves in anger, got onto the back of the cart and was brought inside.

"It seems like he probably strained it," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "He's done this before in training camp."

Bottom Line: This situation bears watching and we will let you know if this ends up being significant. If Smith is out or is nursing a hamstring injury for any period of time it automatically adjusts the top of the WR rankings.

Other notable news and information...

Chief Concern in Kansas City

2006-07-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

Offensive Lineman, Willie Roaf Retires

Wille Roaf, offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs has announced his retirement from the NFL. One of the league's top offensive linemen, Roaf is calling it a careerl after 13 seasons. While he was adamant about his desire to play early in the offseason, lingering injuries to his hamstring and knee led to Roaf's decision to retire.

Bottom line: Fantasy football owners be aware that this will affect Larry Johnson's value and impact and adds confusion to the overall number 1 pick at this point. We will modify the statistics accordingly with our next update.

First Big Name Camp Casualty

2006-07-27T15:31:00.000-04:00

New Cleveland Browns Free Agent Center, LeCharles Bentley, was carted off the field during the team's first training camp practice Thursday. According to the Associated Press, Bentley got tangled up in a pile of players while blocking on a running play. He screamed "No" and remained on the ground for several minutes before his left leg was immobilized and he was carted to the locker room. The injury appears to be serious.

Bottom line:
If he is out for any length of time or the season this really puts a damper on the hope of the franchise as they needed a strong line to support Ruben Droughns and Charlie Frye.

Law Signs With Chiefs

2006-07-25T05:52:00.000-04:00

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed Ty Law to play opposite of Patrick Surtain and help shore up the Kansas City secondary.

Ashley Lelie has front office approval from the Broncos to seek a trade - suitors are said to be Tennessee, Chicago, Baltimore, New England, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The Broncos are said to be looking for running back help - if that is the case then Chicago and Tennessee would appear to be the front runners as they have depth at the position.

Rookies are signing like crazy now that the camps are opening around the league - there is a provision in the latest labor agreement that allows clubs to up the fines (almost triple) for rookies who hold out. This should help everyone get into camp quickly.

NFL Cheerleader Links

2006-07-21T06:49:00.000-04:00

As a fantasy football player it is important to not forget one of the main benefits of watching football. Sure we love the stats, the hits, the big plays, but as the television timeouts are about to take place or the coverage returns there is that one element that keeps us glued to the television. You know the one, when the sposors ad gets lost and you actually try to look around them to see what is going on. Ok, I will just tell you then, the Cheerleaders. What would a Sunday be without them? Below we provide you links to the cheerleading sites so you never have to be without.

Get the links here.

Fantasygods.Com Cheat Sheet Generator

2006-07-18T13:55:00.000-04:00

We have added a new tool for registered users in the downloads section of the site. This tool is to help with your draft by creating positional cheat sheets. Register and download this tool now. We will update the files in the tool as we update our rankings.
If you would like some pre-canned cheatsheets then you can download print off one of the following based on the rankings we publish:

To get FREE fantasy football cheatsheets click here.

NFL Training Camp Begins This Week

2006-07-15T11:55:00.000-04:00

Finally, after months of waiting, the NFL gets ready to kick off the 2006 season. Some camps start this week while most start next week for a complete list of training camp schedules click here. Each year the teams go to camp and try to improve upon last season's performance. It also provides a nice opportunity for the fans to get up close and personal with the players. Green Bay is famous for having to ride bicycles through the fans to get to the practice grounds, but most camps do offer alot for everyone. There are autograph sessions, merchandise and activities for children as well. The majority of camps are located in areas that offer the opportunity to get out and explore, whether it is in the area of culinary delights or historic landmarks, there is plenty to see and do.
Read more here.

Fantasy Football 101

2006-07-12T10:08:00.000-04:00

For those people who have never played or were curious about fantasy football we have created a 'Fantasy Football 101" to help you along the way.

Create or join a League

Ok, you’ve decided to play fantasy football. Now what? First you need to join a league. You most likely took care of that when you became involved. If not there are several options to find competition. You can create or join free leagues such as Yahoo! or ESPN. If you are in it for glory or are a serious player and put money on the line you can find many pay and reward leagues out there that can return over 90% of your investment such as an AntSports League .

Create a Team Identity

Once you are in a league you have to create an identity. This is accomplished by naming your franchise and creating a logo, on top of that you can create posts and trash talk your opponents or be known as the quiet one. Either way this will help to identify your team as the one that people look forward to playing and beating or this could be your thoughts going in depending on how you set yourself up.

Rules

Read and re-read the league rules and understand them. This is very important as this can diffuse conflicts and avoid issues in the first place. Rules are there to provide order and control for your league. If you created the league – this is step number 1 – creating the rules. As a participant, be sure to follow the rules as it will make life easier for your commissioner and you.

Preparation

Now comes the fun part. You have probably set a draft date and you will either have an online or offline draft. We always think the atmosphere is better when everyone can be jammed into a space and draft as a party, but in a lot of cases that can’t happen. The alternative is an online draft or email variant where the selections are made from a computer versus putting stickers on a draft board.

How does one prepare for a draft? This is the most work you will do in preparing, scouring the websites for data on players, looking for rankings (QB, RB, WR, TE, DT, K), cheatsheets, bye week information, NFL team schedules and essentially anything you can get your hands on to give you that edge. We have tried to provide you all that and more here at Fantasygods.com.

Mock drafting is also a useful tool as outlined in the article “The Importance of the Mock Draft”. This will provide you with an edge on where players are going based upon a scoring system and public perception. You may also want to review our article on “Tips for a Successful Draft”, to help you succeed on draft day.

Setting Your Team

Now you have a team and you need to put in the best lineup possible. Checking out our gameday section will offer advice on starting and sitting players. You should evaluate past performances versus defenses as an indicator of how well a position will do. If one of your QB’s is playing a pass friendly defense then it is a good move to start him over another one. The same goes for wide receivers, but in this type of match up the RB may not perform as well. Always assume that there are some players who are “Unbenchable”, if you don’t know check to be sure.

Weekly Play

Each week of the season you will need to monitor your team and make adjustments as needed. Sometimes that may mean cutting loose a guy you were waiting on in return for a hot free agent. Free agency is a natural extension of the draft that you must go through each week of the season to ensure your team has the best opportunity to succeed. Injuries also happen and the only way to adjust is to be out on the free agency wire. Trades are also not out of the question. There may be a need you have and a need you can fill that is mutually beneficial or you can steal from an opponent who is uninformed or oblivious. It is also good to talk up the game in the online forum or trash talk board to get someone’s goat.

End of the Season / Playoffs

If all goes well you will be in the playoffs and going for the ultimate prize, the championship, and all that comes with it; fame, glory, riches and status and maybe even a name on your trophy. You have to pay even more attention to the news on your players and who to sit or bench each week as every point becomes critical.

If you did not make the playoffs, just remember there is always next year. You must learn from what happened and why you missed the playoffs, did someone get injured? Did you draft a bunch of busts? Sleepers never panned out? For some reason or another your campaign failed to reach its goal, but did you have fun trying?

For the Love of the Game

In the end with the season over, it is good if you can get your league together for a presentation to the Champ and reminisce about the glory you won or missed, at least you can give someone heck for sweeping the series with them this year. The main reason we play this game is because of the love of the real game of football. In the end we would watch it each weekend anyhow, but luckily someone found a way to make even more fun out of it and make an enjoyable pastime even more enjoyable. Drink up, enjoy the moment because planning starts again for the next year with the NFL free agency period in March and the NFL Draft in April. Until then get some rest and dream of victory.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 8

2006-07-11T06:46:00.000-04:00

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks

Over the last 10 years the Super Bowl loser has not returned to the playoffs. Will Seattle continue that trend or break it? They have in their mind that the ref’s gave the Steelers the game and, true or not, that should provide plenty of incentive to return to the playoffs. Seattle could easily win the division again, knowing the recent trends we are apprehensive, however, with the off season moves they made we could see them making another run. It will be a race in the West for sure, first time in a long time.

The off season saw the strange loss of G, Steve Hutchinson to Minnesota. The use of the loopholes to make it impossible for Seattle to match was what was strange about it. This was a huge loss for the Seahawks. Filling in for him will be crucial as the side of the line that was Jones and Hutchinson was RB, Alexander’s bread and butter. Other notable departures were DE, Rodney Bailey (Pit), CB, Andre Dyson (NYJ), WR, Joe Jurevicius (Cle), and S, Marquand Manuel (GB). To offset these losses and sure up the gaps already existing the Seahawks signed T, Tom Ashworth (NE), LB, Julian Peterson (SF), WR, Nate Burleson (Min), DT, Russell Davis (Ari) and DE, Kemp Rasmussen (Car).

In drafting, the Seahawks took defensive players on day one selecting CB, Kelly Jennings and DE, Darryl Tapp with their 1^st and 2^nd round picks. Day two was offensive as they selected a G, FB, P and WR with their remaining choices.

The Seahawks could have the post Super Bowl losers bad season as has been trended by the last 10 years of Super Bowl losers, but we think they have done enough to offset their losses and have a fire in their belly from the way they lost the Super Bowl to still win this division, but it will not be as easy as it was in the past as Arizona and St. Louis are closing the gap – any misstep by the Hawks and they could easily be 3^rd.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 7

2006-07-09T08:27:00.000-04:00

AFC West

1. Denver Broncos

DEN Jake Plummer is being questioned once again about his ability to win in big games following last years Pittsburgh loss in the playoffs. Denver dominated many of the games they played in last year only to come up short once again. This year they have made some additional adjustments that they hope will get them over the hump and provide no excuses in gettingto the promised land.

In free agency, the Broncos lost RB, Mike Anderson (Bal) and DT, Trevor Pryce (Bal). They were able to keep everyone else and in addition the acquired LB’s, Nate Webster (Cin) and T.J. Hollowell (Chi) as well as DE, Kenard Lang (Cle) and CB, Willie Middlebrook (SF) to sure up the defense.

In the draft, the Broncos hit paydirt with the trade acquisition of WR, Javon Walker from Green Bay and then started selecting their picks for Day 1 selecting QB, Jay Cutler in the first round as the heir apparent to Jake Plummer, but who knows when that will take place. In the 2nd round they took TE, Tony Scheffler to provide some impact at that position, a position that has not been filled properly since the departure of Shannon Sharpe. On day two of the draft the Broncos were stockpiling offensive personnel taking 2 WR’s and a DE with their three 4th round picks and then rounding out the draft by taking a G and a C with their 5th and 6th round selections.

The Broncos added better LB’s in free agency and replaced their loss at DE, but will they have the horsepower to keep up with the rushing attack of Kansas City? If they can they will retain the division crown, but there is not a lot of wiggle room at the top of this division for them to get away with a lot of mistakes.

Read more here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 6

2006-07-07T09:01:00.000-04:00

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers just could not get the offense going in the conference championship game against Seattle last year. Their defense did a poor job as well, but they were playing from the position of a wildcard team and should have been in a position to earn a bye week. This year they will look to get that week of rest and improve upon last season even though their division is getting a little stronger.

The Panthers lost some defensive personnel to free agency in the form of DE, Kemp Rasmussen (Sea), S’s, Marlon McCree (SD) and Indrees Bashir (Det), and LB’s, Brandon Short (NYG) and Will Witherspoon (Stl). For their losses the Panthers filled in with LB’s, Na’il Diggs (GB) and Keith Adams (Phi), DT’s, Damione Lewis (Stl) and Maake Kemoeatu (Bal) and DB’s, Shaun Williams (NYG), Reggie Howard (Mia), and Kevin McCadam (Atl). Their offense was mainly kept intact with the additions of C, Justin Hartwig (Ten), and WR, Keyshawn Johnson (Dal). It appears that Carolina ended up better for free agency this year.

In the draft, the Panthers took RB, DeAngelo Williams with their 1st pick sending a clear signal to DeShaun Foster that he needs to stay healthy and will be splitting carries this season again. For the next pick they took CB, Richard Marshall followed up by two 3rd round picks in LB, James Anderson and OT, Rashad Butler. The second day saw a S, TE, G, and a DE taken with the remainder of their picks.

Carolina seems improved on paper over last year. They will need to rely on a more balanced attack with an improved running game to earn their bye for the playoffs in this increasingly tough division. They may be fighting it out with Tampa for the top spot, but the Panthers are to the point where they are seasoned and should be able to take it barring injury.

Read More Here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 5

2006-07-06T09:14:00.000-04:00

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts

How many years has it been said that this is the Colts year? Well we are saying it again. This is the most complete offensive machine in football. The loss of RB, Edgerrin James in the off season was off set by knowing Dominic Rhodes is capable and the drafting of Joseph Addai.
The Colts off season was fairly quiet outside of the loss of RB, Edgerrin James. They were able to keep LB’s, Cato June and Rob Morris and then signed a kicker in Adam Vinatieri (NE). They did lose DT, Larry Tripplett (Buf), and backup WR, Troy Walters (Ari) as well as LB, David Thornton (Ten) and K, Mike Vanderjagt (Dal).

The draft saw the Colt’s replace James with RB, Joseph Addai in the 1st round and then right back to defense for the 2nd and 3rd rounds grabbing CB, Tin Jennings and LB, Freddie Keiaho. The remainder of their draft went OL in the 5th and 6th and DB in the 6th and 7th. Addai should provide an immediate impact this year, even splitting time with Rhodes.

The Colts were better on defense last year and should improve a little this year. The offense is still carrying this team and with the addition of ‘Mr. Clutch’ in Vinatieri, they should be able to get over the playoff hump, no more excuses Peyton. Jacksonville could challenge, but they had some key losses that they need to prove they were able to get past.

Read more here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 4

2006-07-02T22:02:00.000-04:00

NFC North

1. Chicago

Chicago made it throught the season and into the playoffs by the sheer will of their defense. The 2005 offense was led by rookie QB, Kyle Orton. A baptism by fire but he survived it. Rex Grossman was out for a prolonged period of time for the second year straight so the Chicago offense is still waiting to get moving in the right direction.

In free agency, Chicago was mostly quiet with the important acquisition of QB, Brian Griese as perhaps a sign of things to come in 2006. The teams major concerns are getting their draft picks to not hold out.

The Bears draft was defensive oriented. They had two 2^nd round picks spent on S, Danieal Manning, and CB, Devin Hester. That was followed up by a DT in the 3^rd, a LB in the 4^th and in the 5^th a DE. Then with two 6^th round picks a FB and OL were taken.

Chicago is the best of the NFC North and with the defense intact a little improvement on offense will make them more dangerous. Bringing in Griese says that they are tired of Grossman getting injured and were in need of a competent ‘back up’. We believe even though Grossman is the starting QB that an open competition in training camp could leave Griese holdingthe keys to the Bear offense. With a competent QB and the nice running game they have in Benson and Jones, the Bears will win the division. The level of competition is not strong enough in this weak division to catch them at this point.

Read more here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 3

2006-06-30T08:41:00.000-04:00

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals

The injury to Carson Palmer destroyed the Bengals dreams last year, but he has been intent on returning for opening day 2006. That is a major feat in itself, but will he be the same Carson Palmer that has led the Bengals out of the perennial NFL basement? Time will tell.

The off season saw some decent depth at QB (Jon Kitna) move on to other opportunities. It also saw LB, Nate Webster (Den) and TE Matt Schobel (Phi) move on, but that was it. The remainder of the team from last year was left intact. The defensive additions include DT, Sam Adams (Buf) and S, Dexter Jackson (TB), on the offense they added some depth with WR, Antonio Chatman (GB) and QB, Anthony Wright (Bal), not a huge off season by any means out side of keeping their own players.

Cincinnati drafted CB, Johnathan Joseph, OT, Andrew Witworth with their first two pics followed up by a couple of DL, a LB and then some potential offensive depth with a QB and 2 WR. The only foreseeable impact player in 2006 seems to be Joseph, who has received high praise from the mini camps thus far.

The Bengals season hinges directly on the knee of Carson Palmer. If he is at worst the same as last year then they win the division, but if he is not himself from last season then it will be a struggle. WR’s, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh represent one of the best receiving tandem’s in the league and RB, Rudi Johnson continues to tote the load. They have decent depth at the skill positions outside of QB so as Palmer goes the Bengals will follow. Being optimistic and thinking that based on his work ethic to return from knee injury we are opting for Cincinnati to win the AFC North.

Read more...

2006 NFL Divisional Predictions Part 2

2006-06-28T09:38:00.000-04:00

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys

Bill and Drew ride off into the sunset as the Cowboys drive through the playoffs to the Super Bowl. Or is it just a fantasy? The Cowboys added the explosive WR, Terrell Owens to give them a leg up in the division, but will it be enough? Drew Bledsoe is one of the most immobile quarterbacks in the league and at some point that spells injury. The Cowboys had better protect him if they want their return to glory to be complete.

The off season for the Cowboys can be summed up in the acquisition of WR, Terrell Owens, but there were defensive improvements as well as they signed LB’s, Rocky Boiman (Ten) and Akin Avodele (Jac) and S, Marcus Coleman (Houston). They also invested in OL protection for Bledsoe in offensive linemen, Jason Fabini (NYJ) and Kyle Kosier (Det). They also picked up K, Mike Vanderjagt (Ind). The main departures were underperforming OL, Larry Allen (SF), DT, La’Roi Glover (STL) and WR, Keyshawn Johnson (Car).

The Cowboys draft took LB, Bobby Carpenter in the first round who could be an impact starter for them this year, followed by a TE and then DE, Jason Hatcher in the 3^rd round. The remainder of the draft was a mix of offensive and defensive personnel.

Dallas has already laid claim to the NFC East division title and it could be well within reach if the improved defenses of NY, Washington and Philly don’t hit Bledsoe too much. There may also be tension on the field for sharing the ball with Owens, Glenn and Witten while also running the ball. The Cowboys will need to be on offense 80% of the time to keep everyone happy. Can Bill hold it together? Can T.O. prove whiners prosper? Can Bledsoe stay upright? If all of these things can happen the Cowboys win the East, if not any one of the teams below could leapfrog them and drop the ‘boys in the basement, which is how close this division really is.

2006 NFL Divisional Predictions Part 1

2006-06-26T11:11:00.000-04:00

AFC EAST

1. New England Patriots

The Patriots have been in the top spot for several years despite losses in free agency. Again this year they should win the AFC East simply because the level of competition has not risen up to them nor have they lost enough to go down a spot. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL and should prove that again in 2006.

In free agency there were some key losses with Tom Ashworth (T) to Seattle, David Givens (WR) to Tennessee, Willie McGinest (LB) to Cleveland and Adam Vinatieri (K) to Indianapolis. ON the flip side there was little in the way of acquiring replacements or upgrades in getting what would be designated at best as a 3rd WR in Reche Caldwell from San Diego and S, Tebucky Jones from Miami the rest was really spent on retaining some core members of the team. The most difficult replacement will be finding a reliable kicker.

In the draft, the Patriots took RB, Laurence Maroney with the first pick and WR, Chad Jackson with the second pick, then a couple of TE’s, K, a couple of OL and acouple of DL and a DB. Maroney will contribute this year and there is a good chance that Jackson will as well though not as much.

One thing that can be said though is that New England, really Bill Belichick, seems to always find a way and this year should be no different as New England will find a way to hold on to the division.

To read more click here.

Fantasy Football Pre-Camp Training

2006-06-21T09:33:00.000-04:00

Now that the NHL and NBA seasons are over and MLB is at about the mid-year point it is time to start getting back in shape for the NFL and in particular Fantasy Football. Training camps will open for most in late July, but there is much that can be done now to prepare for you upcoming drafts and season.

The first thing you can do is to get re-aquainted with the teams and the off-season movement by looking at the results of free agency. Then you can start to review the many features of Fantasygods.com. You can start by reviewing the player rankings and going over the Tips for a Successful Draft as well as the Importance of the Mock Draft articles.

There is also some interesting insight on the Third Year Wide Receiver that you can read through. It is also good to look through the NFL Schedule grid and get a copy of the bye weeks prior to drafting.

The site is always being updated so check back for updates and new information daily.

Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup

2006-06-20T08:05:00.000-04:00

The Carolina Hurricanes win their first ever Stanley Cup with a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in game 7 of the series. After allowing the Oilers some hope watching them even up the series after leading 3 games to 1, the Hurricanes played with resolve on Monday night and left no doubt that they were going to emerge victorious.

Rookie goalie Cam Ward stopped just about evey shot the Oilers had to offer giving up just one goal early in the 3rd period facing 23 shots. He also was the reciepient of the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff MVP. The real story for game 7 for Carolina outside of the rookies play was the fantastic defensive play by Carolina in shutting down the Oilers attack and in turring offensive themselves gettign the first two goals of the game. Aaron Ward and Frantisek Kaberle lit the lamp in the first and second period respectively.

Read more at Fantasygods.com

Edmonton Equalizes Series

2006-06-18T06:01:00.000-04:00

The Edmonton Oilers went home for game 6 and made it happen. They won in very convincing fashion and are now headed back to Carolina for the final and deciding game for the Stanley Cup. Carolina just looked sluggish and played uninspired, especially considering they should have wanted to avoid a game 7 after being up 3 games to 1 in the series. With a win in Game 7 Monday, Edmonton would be the first team in 64 years to come back from 3-1 down to win the Cup. The Hurricanes whiffed again, getting outshot 34-16 and totally worked over by the younger Oilers, who barely made it into the playoffs and then became the first No. 8 seed under the current format to reach the championship round. The Edmonton Oilers mobbed their third-string-turned-starting goalie as the crowd chanted, "We want the cup!"

Read More of this story here.

Edmonton Stays Alive

2006-06-15T06:52:00.000-04:00

Fernando Pisani scored a shorthanded goal early in overtime and the Oilers prevented Carolina from celebrating its first championship on home ice, stunning the Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to send the series back to Alberta.

Pack it back up. Game 6 is Saturday night in Edmonton.

The Hurricanes lead the series 3-2, but the Oilers refused to buckle when facing elimination for the first time in these playoffs -- even after Steve Staios was sent to the penalty box for dragging down Mark Recchi at 3:03 of overtime.

Just 28 seconds later, Pisani struck for his second goal of the game and the first shorthanded overtime goal in Stanley Cup finals history.

Read more of this story at Fantasygods.com

Roethlisberger Injured In Motorcycle Accident

2006-06-12T13:07:00.000-04:00

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (head) has been injured in a motorcycle accident around 11:30 am Monday, June 12. The team has confirmed Roethlisberger was injured. He was not wearing a helmet when he flew over the handlebars and hit his head on the windshield of a car, according to an eyewitness. The witness added Roethlisberger seemed groggy and was bleeding from his head, but was able to say his first name. He has been taken to Mercy Hospital, but officials are not commenting on his condition.

It is still too early to tell how severe his injury is, but the team is seriously concerned about his condition. Early indications are his injuries are not life-threatening.

Read more about it here.