I did the draft for the latter league a while ago, we’ve got 16 players in two divisions and it was a hell of a draft since I had #11 then #6 pick in alternating rounds so I didn’t get to pick everyone I would have liked. Here’s my lineup:

Round 1: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD Chargers RB) (There’s no way I should have gotten him with the #11 pick but I’m not complaining)

Round 2: Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks QB)

Round 3: LenDale White (Tennessee Titans RB)

Round 4: Dallas Clark ( Indianapolis Colts TE) (I seem to get this guy in every draft and he’s a good pick)

Round 5: Hines Ward (Pittsburgh Steelers WR)

Round 6: Julius Jones (Seattle Seahawks WR) (If Hasselbeck does well, hopefully it’ll be with Jones!)

Round 7: NY Giants Defense

Round 8: Nate Burleson (Seattle Seahawks WR)

Round 9: Isaac Bruce (SF 49ers WR) (if he can stay healthy, I’ve got high hopes)

Round 10: Justin Gage (Tennessee Titans WR)

Round 11: T.J. Duckett (Seattle Seahawks RB)

Round 12: Fred Taylor (NE Patriots RB)

Round 13: John Carney (NO Kicker)

Round 14: Cleveland Browns Defense

Round 15: Jeff Garcia ( QB Oakland Raiders) (I hate the Raiders, but love Garcia)

Round 16: Amani Toomer (WR KC Chiefs)

All said, not too bad a draft. I know I’m pretty heavy on the Seahawks and I hope that it doesn’t wind up biting me in the butt, but it is what it is at this point…

Here’s my lineup as it stands today preseason:

C Ryan Doumit – Pit
1B Ryan Howard – Phi
2B Ian Kinsler – Tex
3B Alex Rodriguez – NYY
SS Stephen Drew – Ari
OF Ichiro Suzuki – Sea
OF Alex Rios – Tor
OF Jermaine Dye – CWS
Util Derek Jeter – NYY (SS)
Bench Felipe Lopez – Ari (2B, 3B, SS, OF)
Bench Ken Griffey Jr. – Sea (OF)
Bench Brandon Inge – Det (C, 3B, OF)
Bench Mark Teahen – KC (1B, 3B, OF)
Bench Eric Byrnes – Ari (OF)

Pitchers
SP Jake Peavey – SD
SP Cliff Lee – Cle
RP Brandon Morrow – Sea
RP J.J. Putz – NYM
P Daisuke Matsuzaka – Bos
P Ricky Nolasco – Fla
P Ted Lilly – ChC

Wish me luck! We’re playing for money this time, so I’ve got more than just pride on the line. I’ve also got $10!

Art and I have been home for 3 wks after 90 days in Seattle. I survived the transplant and all the poking and prodding after the fact and am doing very well. My doc here (Dr. Jafari) was thrilled to see me 2 wks ago and again yesterday, no more than we were glad to see him. All my #s are good and seem to be getting better, including my pesky liver function which is finally normal. My diagnosis was 1 year ago today and with any luck I have at least 20 more yrs!

Some of you have known me all or most of my life but I have known all of you for many years. I just have to tell you, and I KNOW you will all appreciate the irony: Jafari said I need to GAIN 10#s! I have waited all my life to have a doc say that to me! And Art was a witness! Having fought The Battle all my life, I nearly fell off the chair when he said that. But believe it or not am really am too thin. I have dropped almost 70#, not trying, just due to the therapies and treatments and this pesky metallic taste as my taste buds revive.

I will go back to work in the Fall, part-time again, but cannot go to see Junior play ball at Safeco this summer as I have to avoid crowds. Bummer. We do have some travel plans for summer, some driving, some flying. . .we had to cancel our Christmas trip to Hawaii, so hope to go in July, and we have a grandbaby’s 1st b’day July 3. (And a new one coming in Sept!!)

Are you bored yet? Well, I am done. . .thank you all for your love, support, friendship and prayers. I could not have done it without you!! Love to all

I’ve got some winners and I’ve got some not-so-great guys, but it is what it is for a while. Wish me luck!

Here were my picks for week 8 (bolded/italicized):

SUN, OCT 28
Detroit at Chicago 1:00 PM
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
Oakland at Tennessee 1:00 PM
Cleveland at St. Louis 1:00 PM
NY Giants at Miami 1:00 PM
Philadelphia at Minnesota 1:00 PM
Indianapolis at Carolina 1:00 PM
Buffalo at NY Jets 4:05 PM
Houston at San Diego 4:05 PM
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay 4:05 PM
New Orleans at San Francisco 4:15 PM
Washington at New England 4:15 PM
MON, OCT 29
Green Bay at Denver 8:30 PM

I went 13 for 13 in my picks moving me from the middle of the pack all the way up to second place! In one week! Yay me!

With that in mind, since he’s posted his Fantasy Baseball line-up, here’s mine:

Pitchers:

Chris Carpenter (StL)
Félix Hernández (Sea)
J.J. Putz (Sea)
Armando Benítez (SF)
Chris Young (SD)
Tom Glavine (NYM)
Freddy García (Phi)
Ted Lilly (ChC)

Field Postions:

C Kenji Johjima (Sea)
1B Nomar Garciaparra (LAD)
2B Dan Uggla (Fla)
3B Adrián Béltre (Sea)
SS Omar Vizquel (SF)
OF Ichiro Suzuki (Sea)
OF Torii Hunter (Min)
OF Eric Byrnes (Ari)
Util Todd Helton (Col)
BN Hideki Matsui (NYY)
BN Richie Sexson (Sea)
BN A.J. Pierzynski (CWS)
BN Craig Biggio (Hou)

It’s a pretty good mix of AL and NL, with a nice heapin’ helpin’ of Seattle Mariners thrown in for good measure. I’m pretty happy with my batting average as well, my least good (non-benched) player has a “meager” .267 average (Eric Byrnes). Should make for good times, as long as I keep up with my players… Football is easier, you only really have to make changes once or twice a week, this is going to require an almost-daily modification.

Tom has, over the last couple of years, taken me to a good umber of San Jose Sharks games. Every time we go, I think him for letting me join him and enjoy every game we’ve been to, even if the Sharks lost. Hell, he’s even been so kind as to invite me to a Sharks playoff game a few years ago.

I just wanted to publicly thank Tom for doing this. We went to a game last night that was almost the “perfect game.” We got a fight (Sharks player won), some amazingly hard checking (on both sides), an open-net goal (Sharks) and a very fun game.

So, thanks Tom!

Sharks 5 – Coyotes 2

(You may be asking why I picked up Madden 2006 when 2007 is coming out next week. There are two reasons:

1. I’m trying to save money.

2. I plan on getting an Xbox 360 before Madden 2008 comes out and 2007 will be one of my first purchases.)

Now, how does Madden 2006 make a good way to diet?

When I’m in front of the TV, I snack. Not so much when I’m playing Madden. I’m so enthralled with the game and my progress (still in preseason, but it’s only been one night…) that I don’t even think to eat! This is how I’m going to “sell” Jen on alowing me to take over the TV…

The weird thing is that the Sharks actually won, so maybe I should have an anti-Playoff Beard. I’m so confused…