TKO on Tour

zSHARE video - 24_101__12.AM.to.1.AM--.avi.flv

2010-01-18T12:49:00.000-06:00

zSHARE video - 24_101__12.AM.to.1.AM--.avi.flv

Home alone and bored today

2009-02-10T19:46:00.001-06:00

So I ... err ... made this.

Give me a break, it was more fun than cleaning.

Free Video Hosting

The Baby Bluenecks

2009-02-02T00:23:00.003-06:00

Doing the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) draft for the Dynasty League at the moment. This is my first venture into the MiLB, baseballs minor league system, save for 1 trip to Birmingham Barons last year on '$1 a beer' night, so I'm far from knowledgable and a good few steps behind most guys in the new league.

The MiLB could be equated to the reserve leagues in football/soccer. It's stocked with young talent, and is also the place where older players are sent to get back to match fitness following injuries or if their manager determines they need to work out some kinks in their game.

It's been great fun researching the players, which was part of the reason I signed up for the league in the first place. We have a 15 round draft and I'm awaiting my pick in the 11th so i'm 2/3rds full. Here's the Baby Blueneck roster as it currently stands:

Baby Bats

Cameron Maybin, OF
Alcides Escobar, SS
Justin Smoak, 1B
Desmond Jennings, OF
Hyun Choi Conger, C
Michael Burgess, OF
Neil Walker, 3B

Baby Balls

Jake Arrieta
Jeff Neimann
Daniel Bard
Andrew Brackman

Fairly happy with how it's gone so far. The initial tactic was to target OF. Any readers will be awre that I am worried about the age of my MLB players. It's not by accident I have drafted 3 OF players already. With Huff and Wiggy as my only 3rd base eligible players, getting a young talent at 3rd was a priority too. I pretty much failed on this, missing out on all the top touted guys early on in the draft. Still, I got one I like and there are still 5 spots to fill. I'm hoping that 3 out of my 4 current pitchers will develop into quality Starters, and that Daniel Bard will eventually be the Closer in Boston.

Pretty happy with my team so far - it has a certain balance. Looking across my two squads now, there is a definite need for some back up at 2B. Time to trade, draft, appeal and steal my way to getting that need fulfilled.

Thankd for reading.

Complete MLB Dynasty Team

2009-01-21T11:27:00.002-06:00

Finally, it is over...

The complete team:

C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
1B Lance Berkman
2B Ian Kinsler
3B Aubrey Huff
SS Mike Aviles
OF Matt Holliday
OF Ryan Ludwick
OF Torii Hunter
Util Joey Votto

SP Jake Peavy
SP Roy Oswalt
SP Zack Grienke
SP A.J. Burnett
SP Johnny Cueto
RP Matt Capps
RP Brian Wilson
RP Grant Balfour
P Chris Carpenter

Bench Shin-Soo Choo, OF
Bench Kelly Johnson, 2B
Bench Coco Crisp, OF
Bench Chris Snyder, C
Bench Ty Wiggington, 3B, OF
Bench Kosuke Fukodome, OF
Bench Jon Garland, SP
Bench Barry Zito, GIMP
Bench Homerun Bailey, SP
Bench Wandy Rodriguez, SP

For previous details on my picks, please see former postings. Froom now on i'll write in a more quick-fire fashion. Not so much to say about the players in the latter stages of the draft. Enjoy ... and please comment.

Round 15 - Jarrod Saltalamachia. As hard to pronounce as he was to pick. Needed a Catcher, though there is no guarantee Salty starts. There were 10 Catchers off the board already so I took a chance. I will be second guessing myself for not taking Shoppach instead till at least halfway through the season.

Round 16 -Brian Wilson. Best and most secure closer left on the board. An easy pick.

Round 17 - Shin-Soo Choo. My first bench player. Big upside and I didn't expect him to last too long so I took him instead of filling out my pitching roster. I felt I needed some youth at OF too, based on my 3 starters. Am excited about this pick, could look very good in a few years.

Round 18 - Kelly Johnson. Again, bench pick. Similair thought process tp Shin-Soo - excellent potential. Was keen to get some cover at either SS or 2B at this stage in case Kinsler goes down again this year. With Johnson's upside, I don't think I could have picked a better player at this stage. Another pick and player who excites me with his future potential.

Round 19 - Chris Carpenter. A pick that will surely keep me interested in the Cardinals injury report. I made this pick a day or so after talk came out of St Louis that he may close. If he does, I believe that gives me 3 solid Closers. If he doesn't he will start and if the injuries have not effected him too badly and if they don't recur, I could have a top class Starter on my hands for the next couple of years. It's always a risk to draft such injury plagued players, but considering this was the 264th pick of the draft, I'd hope even the most hardened sceptic would give me some lattitude.

Round 20 - Wandy Rodriguez. The definitive Home Boy. I needed to get some SP's on my bench, and I believe his home statistics give him value this late in a draft. As long as i keep him benched for away fixtures till and if I am sure he can improve in other parks, he'll contribute from my bench.

Round 21 - Grant Balfour. Might get some saves this year, might not. I needed to fill that final RP spot and plumped for him. I feel nothing for this pick, neither positive nor negative - it just had to be done. Should it have been done later? Possibly. Oh well, move on move on...

Round 22 - Coco Crisp. Yay, another older Outfielder (stay tuned for this to continue) ! I must say though, i love Coco with the 298th pick of any draft. He's 29, healthy and settled into a team where he will start now. The 'pressure' of Boston is gone, and I expect him to settle into a Young Washington OF nicely. His numbers improved as last year went on too, lest we forget. Crisp hit for a .341 BA over August and September, and then .417 in the playoffs. The more I type the more I like this pick. After the Balfour pick, I needed a kick to get me back in the groove, and the Coco pick has provided it! Let's go!

Round 23 - Homer Bailey. Best name for a Pitcher in all of baseball. Talk about 'there's something in a name...' He's a risky start against anyone in even the biggest of parks, it's undeniable. He's still a young man, though and there is that smidgen of hope he gets somewhere near what early career projections suggested. It's a tiny smidgen though, I must admit. But heck, this is Round 23 - if he doesn't start the season well and I can't trade him to a still-believer, then it's off to the Wire for him, freeing me up a bench spot I may need for the occasional spot start.

Round 24 - Chris Snyder. Forgive me whilst I beat myself like an Opus Dei monk. I had to take a back up catcher with Salty in my starting spot. A bench of 10 allows me to carry one with out sacrificing too much. He is young, should have the spot to himself and has a lot of upside. But I hate hate hate taking a back up catcher. Let the flagellation begin...

Round 25 - Barry Zito. Oh yeah, Zitomania is alive and well. The laughing stock of American sports is my sleeper pick this year. No kidding. After an atrocious start to last year and losing his rotation spot, Zito came back well. His September ERA was 3.15 over 5 games. He went 4-4 in the last 2 months, with 2 no decisions in games the Giants won. These are cherry-picked numbers, for sure but I fancy him to get me 12 - 13 Wins with an ERA just over 4.00, though this may depend on whether or not the Giants can improve their bats with a couple of the FA's still out there. We shall see, but that's why I call him a Sleeper.

Round 26 - Ty Wiggington. Yawn. Needed some cover for 3B and he was the best available. 35th 3B eligible player off the board and the 353rd pick overall - i'm not expecting much, though I do like the coincidence of those numbers. Oh, and he also qualifies for OF and you can never have enough old OF players, right??

Round 27 - Jon Garland I'm at the stage of the draft where I am not doing a lot of research. Without knowing where he is going to play next year, the 14 Wins last year jumped out. K's and ERA are horrible, but at this stage, there aren't many cherries left on the tree. He'll likely end up replaced on my roster from my Minor League team before all is said and done next year anyway. Picked him and wondered what I should target with my final pick of the MLB draft...

...hmmm....

Of course!

An old OF player!

Round 28 - Kosuke Fukudome. I thought someone would have snapped him up by now, but no. He had a strong start last year and if he can repeat that, I am quids in. If not, I took Mr Maybin in the Minor League draft we just started so what the heck...

It's done! Took about a month but the Scotlabama Bluenecks now has a full roster. And I don't think it's all that bad...

Culture, Sophistication and Class.

2009-01-14T22:23:00.004-06:00

Any regular readers of this blog will be well aware of my inherent sophistication, my thirst for culture and my natural standing amongst the echelon of the upper class. Yes yes. Last Saturday there was an event held in Birmingham that one of such noble blood could not pass. A chance to experience fine art amongst fine people whilst dining on the finest of cuisine.

MONSTER JAM 2009!!

It was cool, my first time seeing them. Matthew loved it. He was a touch pissed that Gravedigger lost in the first round of the race segment, but hey ho. Gravedigger won the freestyle so happiness returned. That's won of the great things about having a boy kid around the place - you get to do all these cool things and you can pretend it's all because of the kid. Not sure anyone believed me...

Was a fun afternoon out. Earplugs reccommended ... if you're a girl! And wow, my F-150 never sounded so quiet as on the drive home.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T10:43:00.002-06:00

It's 2009!

Saw the New Year in quietly this year. Just myself and Ginger, a bottle of Moet and a box of Ferrero Rocher. Watched the festivities in New York and Las Vegas on the television, including Robbie Kineavel's Volcano jump on the strip. Fast asleep by 01:00.

Happy New Year everyone, and all the best for 2009.

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 13 & 14

2008-12-30T17:59:00.003-06:00

Looking at my roster it's pretty clear to me what I need to do in these two rounds. I need to fill that OF spot and get myself a closer. Mission Objective Defined. Time to go forth and conquer.

Round 13

With pick 179 and a space to be filled in OF, it would have been criminal to pass up on Torii Hunter at this point. Again, it's testimony to the youth centric nature of this draft that he is still available at this stage. Looking at the Median Draft Position provided by 'rookies and cream' at The Fantasy Cafe, you can see he has been going around pick 100 in mocks and drafts so far this year. A bargain in the 13th round.

Again, the same fears arise that my team is too old for a Dynasty League, but to win in 2009, it can't be all talent. We do have an MiLB draft coming up so I am really going to have to do well in that. I have the 3rd pick and I expect I know who the first 2 players taken will be, so I have started to plan my youth movement.

Very happy with this pick. Torii's speed is an added bonus to an all round solid veteran player.

Round 14

Needed Saves, Matt Capps was who I considered the best available, so I took him. Nothing really else to say ... so I won't bore you further.

Dynasty Team - Through Round 12

2008-12-30T01:00:00.001-06:00

I thought I would post my team so far. Details of the individual picks can be found in previous entries. As ever, I appreciate all responses and opinions, advice and criticism.

C
1B Lance Berkman
2B Ian Kinsler
3B Aubrey Huff
SS Mike Aviles
OF Matt Holliday
OF Ryan Ludwick
OF
Util Joey Votto

SP Jake Peavy
SP Roy Oswalt
SP Zack Grienke
SP A.J. Burnett
SP Johnny Cueto
RP
RP
RP
P

Bench x 10

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 11 &12

2008-12-30T00:27:00.004-06:00

If rounds 9 and 10 were 'old and risky', then 11 and 12 were 'young and sexy ... and risky.'

Round 11

The K master, Mr Johnny Cueto.

He arrived on the scene last year on a wave of hype and didn't quite deliver. The K's were there, but there were a few too many Home Runs given up and an unacceptabley high ERA. Still, this is a Dynasty League and I believe my young Red will be something special over the years. I may not even start Cueto at the beginning of the season - keep him benched and see how he does. I can always throw him in if I need K's in a tight H2H match-up. This really was a signing for the future. My team was looking so very old compared to most, and I wanted to get a young gun on my staff. And with a fastball like his, he can certainly shoot.

Round 12

Time to fill that big gaping hole at SS.

There was one player I fancied from the remaining pool, and this pick may be considered a reach for him. I somewhat expect, and dearly hope, for great things from Mike Aviles of the Royals in the future.

He blazed onto the scene hitting .325 in 109 games last year. He had 8 SB's so he has a bit of speed. A definite plus for him is the fact he will qualify for 2B status next year as well, so if the unthinkable happens and Lord Kinsler gets hurt again, he'll be an option to cover.

A young talent who could break out in a big way next year, and could be a top SS in the years to come.

Happy with this pick, be it deemed a reach or otherwise.

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 9 & 10

2008-12-28T11:40:00.002-06:00

Round 9...

... and time to fill a hole.

It's the 124th pick and I have been keeping tabs on a player still available who qualifies in one of the infield spots I have available. In 2008, he hit for more than .300 in average, over 30 Homers and over 100 RBI's. Sounds good, doesn't it? The problem is he actually went undrafted in most 2008 drafts as these figures are a significant increase on his previous achievements.

So who is the real Aubrey Huff?

I don't know. But, even if their is a 10% reduction in his stats for the upcoming year, i'll still be happy with them.

Positives on this pick: I think it really does solidify my power numbers considering the point in the draft.

Negatives: This is a dynasty league, and he isn't a young man. He turned 32 a few of days ago, so I'm going to have to find a 3B somewhere relatively soon. Time to start scouting minor leaguers. Position eligibility. There is a risk that he doesn't play 20 games at 3B next year (he plays as a DH at times) so looking forward, he may only be UTIL eligible in 2010. The other big worry is that he won't be very good next year!

Wow - I've brought myself down writing this!

At the end of the day, I have a player who performed excellently last year as my 3B. I am looking to win next year, and at this stage in the draft, he is a player who could certainly help me do that.

Negative thoughts be gone! Aubrey Huff, it's an honour to have you on board.

Round 10

Ha! What do you do if you pick a player where general consensus is that he outperformed last year and you know will be derided by many for doing so in the previous round?

Apparently you do it again in the 10th!

I chose Ryan Ludwick with the 129th pick as my second OF.

For a bit of a change from me describing my pick, i'll direct you to this discussion on Fantasy Baseball Cafe about possible busts in '09. As you can see there are differing opinions.

At the end of the day, my man hit 37 Homers with 113 RBI's last year. He should be batting behind Pujols for the majority of this year so he is in a great line up position.

I'll take him at this point in the draft.
--------------

I expect there to be some who have been following this who think I have gone totally off the tracks in the last two rounds. I'm out to prove you wrong, but must admit, there is a mixture of hope and confidence that I can do so.

Our Christmas tree!

2008-12-24T12:24:00.003-06:00

Matthew wanted these picture up. Can't wait to tear into those presents! As you can see, the dog is equally excited...

Christmas comes early!

2008-12-24T12:17:00.003-06:00

Christmas came early this year. Actually, it's more of an elongated event! On Sunday we were all at Ginger's parents for a feast of food and presents.

Today, Christmas Eve, we are having our Christmas as Matthew is off to his dads tonight. Got a roast in the oven and just waiting for Ginger to finish work then we'll tear into our gifts.

Tomorrow, we are off to Ginger's Grandmothers for a family meal.

So it's a long drawn out joyous celebration!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 7 & 8

2008-12-19T09:52:00.002-06:00

I selected two pitchers in rounds 7 & 8.

Round 7 - Zack Greinke

Round 8 - A.J. Burnett

Greinke was taken as a reaction to taking Oswalt in the previous round. He's an excellent pitcher, his stats from last year speak for themselves but he is on a woefully poor offensive team. He's relatively young and I see him as someone who can contribute next year, but be even better over the years. I have two steady aces in Peavy and Oswalt and decided it was time to go a bit younger, and certainly more risky. This pick would not have been made had this not been a Dynasty League. I'm still unsure if I could/should have waited longer. Time for him to go out and prove me a fantasy genius then! Greinke for Cy Young in '09! Heh, fantasy indeed.

A.J. I'll start by saying at this point in the draft, there were already 28 SP's that had been drafted, and A.J. was still there. This pick was another classic example of me seeing value and not being able to pass on it, regardless of my teams needs. In 8 picks I have 4 SP's - not how I envisioned my draft to go, and nothing like how my previous drafts have gone. I know A.J.'s limitations, but I have also seen his strengths. In my keeper league, I traded for him late in the season (Burnett and Wood for Chamberlain, a trade I love to this day as I needed CL too and was in contention) and he was excellent. I couldn't bring myself to leave him on the board.

An uncertain round of picks describes these two, I think. Certainly not terrible. The key to this draft for me is now to fill in the holes left by having taken 4, albeit quality, SP's in the first 8 rounds.

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 5 & 6

2008-12-18T10:55:00.004-06:00

Round 5

The draft continues. Good day yesterday - got 4 picks in.

The first one was interesting. Although I had my 1B filled with a quality player, it was only a temporary measure in Dynasty terms. Lance Berkman won't be around forever. Was there anyone out there I could pick up who could produce in my Utility spot this year and be my first baseman of the future? There was one I liked, though it was a bit of a reach at this time. Should I or shouldn't I? He had a decent rookie year, highly touted to improve this year and plays in a hitters ball park. There was some platooning at the start of the 2008 season, but he should be a regular player this year. It's tempting...

I'm doing it.

Joey Votto - welcome to the Bluenecks.

Round 6

Took a bit of a flyer with the last pick, so it's time to take a real solid pick this time around. After 5 rounds, I only have one SP. That's pretty normal for me in the few drafts I have done, so I'm not too concerned. If there is a real solid ace out there still, one who may have slipped through the cracks with everone going young, then I may look to pitching. The SS and 3B options are so thin now, that I don't think there is much difference in a player that I could get now or in a good few rounds time. As long as they are filled before people start stashing away talent on their benches, I should be okay. So, I begin scouring my SP list.

Roy Oswalt is available, the ace of the Houston staff. He's no spring chicken, but he contributed 17 wins to the Astro's organisation last year. His strike outs aren't spectacular with 165 for the year, but I am impressed with his 4.0 K/BB record - that's 4 strikeouts for every walk given up. With 68.8% of his Starts deemed Quality, I'm thinking that he and Peavy at the top of my Pitching roster puts me in a strong position.

I reach for the laptop and make my pick.

Round 6 in the bag, looking good so far.

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 3 & 4

2008-12-16T14:29:00.003-06:00

Please see previous entry for first 2 rounds.

Round 1 - Ian Kinsler
Round 2 - Matt Holliday

Round 3

Usually I'm not big on taking Pitchers early as I like to stream pitching anyway to maximise K's and W's, whilst risking ERA and WHIP. I'm an active daily owner, so this style fits me well.

But this time I took Jake Peavy with my third round pick. He is a stud pitcher and I have no regrets in taking him. He has ace stuff and isn't considered an injury risk like so many other top pitchers.

Looking at mockdraftcentral.com draft analysis, Peavy has an Average Draft Position (ADP) of 43. This was the 40th pick in the draft so he wasn't much of a reach. Given that there is no way of knowing if the mock drafts have been based on a 1 year or Keeper/Dynasty league, and Peavy is a definite Keeper for years to come, I'm happy with this pick.

Round 4

Round 4 came along and I didn't have a plan on who to draft. 3rd Base and Shortstop positions were already looking thin, but I did not want to reach just to fill the position. Time to take the best player available again. Lance Berkman was my guy. My 1st Base spot was open and Lance had an ADP of 14. For a 45th pick, I could not pass him over. He is 33, so not ideal for a Dynasty League, but after consulting with a couple of friends - all of us believing he has 2 good years left, I considered him a great value pick. Decided not to dwell on it much longer and picked him.

Pretty simple couple of rounds. With my 3B and SS spot still empty,I am going to have to reach at some stage or really find a couple of sleepers. That's all part of the fun though.

So far I'm really happy with how it's going. I'm looking to compete this year whilst also building a solid foundation for the future, and I'm happy that my picks thus far are in line with this plan.

Baseball in Britain - Fantasy Plays its Part

2008-12-15T00:39:00.003-06:00

This is an article I wrote for Fantasy Baseball Cafe. It discusses differnet aspects of the sport in Britain and how they are intertwined.

Here is an extract:

'But Murray can’t be expected to comment on baseball. He’s British. Every true British sports fan knows that baseball is just for the Yanks. Brits see it as impossible to understand, and not worth the effort of trying anyway. They haven’t seen it on the television, nor heard it on the radio and they certainly haven’t read about it in the Times whilst enjoying their toast and tea of a morning. It’s extremely unlikely that after checking the headlines on the BBC website, they are clicking to Yahoo! or ESPN to check how their baseball keeper league team fared overnight. All that being said, they probably do have a Yankee cap somewhere in the closet. What a world…'

To read the full article, please click here.

Pussy Cat

2008-12-14T10:37:00.004-06:00

So we recently added a 6 month old kitten to our household. Why? I have no idea... He is funny though, very sweet at times and certainly gives the dog some mental exercise. I got my way when it came to names, so he is called Jedi. I think Ginger gave in on this to insure that the name has been used, so we can't call any future children that ... Little does she know, always two there is... Anyway, the name Chewbacca still hasn't been used...

We've noticed something strange about him over the couple of weeks we've had him. He possesses none of the grace and balance familiar in the feline community. He's clumsy. He's fallen off chairs, off the sofa, off the bed. Each time he climbs up on our balcony railings it's heart in mouth time. We're only on the 1st floor so he should be okay if he falls, but given his balance issues, will he be able to turn?

Dixie, our 90lb Cane Corso Mastiff, has settled down now. She was beyond interested when he first arrived, but now he's just kinda boring to her. Doesn't stop her from having a good ol' sniff of his arse every now and again, but we do seem to have broken her chase instinct with regards to him. The squirrels and chipmunks around the place still need to be on guard though.

So wish us, and him, luck as we all get to know each other.

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 1 & 2

2008-12-12T11:58:00.002-06:00

What is a Dynasty League and why are you doing it?

I'm taking my enjoyment of baseball and fantasy baseball to a new level this year by joining a Dynasty League. This is where you draft a team and you keep the whole team year after year. As well as the Major League players, you also draft a Minor League team as well made up of prospects who aren't yet playing in the MLB but are potential future stars. It's a new challenge for me from the fantasy perspective, but it also motivates me to learn more about the baseball set-up when you get below the MLB teams. Living in Hoover, I am just about a mile away from Regions Park where the Birmingham Barons play. They are a Minor League team affiliated to the Chicago White Sox. I've been to one of their games but plan to attend more next season.

My team and draft details.

I named my team the Scotlabama Bluenecks - a homage to Scotland and Alabama and a take off of the 'redneck' perception about people from this part of the world. There are 14 members in the league and I was randomly selected to have the 12th pick. We are doing a snake draft, so I pick 12th in the first round, 3rd in the second, 12th in the fourth etc.

Round 1

It's round 1 and I'm watching who those ahead of me are taking with interest. I'm surprised early on to see that Alex Rodriguez has not been picked. I would have taken him with any pick from 2nd onwards. Is it possible he could drop to me in the 12 hole??? That would be one hell of a coup!!! No. He goes to 7th overall. So much for that little flutter of excitement. It gets to me and I know who I want. I take Ian Kinsler who plays 2B with the Texas Rangers. He is the first 2B taken in the draft and this promotes some discussion. 2B is traditionally shallow in baseball - there isn't a huge amount of fantasy impact players out there. The traditional thinking is that Chase Utley is the best 2B in baseball, and there is a lot of merit to that. However, he is injured and not an absolute guarantee to be ready for opening day. I just didn't want to draft an injured player with my first pick - it just didn't feel right.

So Kinsler it is. He's a young stud in the game. Can hit for power, has plate discipline and plenty of good hitting around him in the Texas line up. He can also run and steal a base or two so he should help me in all aspects of my Offence. I'm happy with the pick and quickly start thinking about the 2nd round. Ideally, I'd like to fill another shallow position and decide to target Jimmy Rollins for my SS position. If that doesn't work out, then hopefully the best pitcher in the game, Johan Santana, will be there and I can start building up an awesome rotation...

Round 2

BOOM! Rollins goes two picks before mine So much for that plan.

BOOM BOOM BOOM! Santana goes one pick before mine. My plan is blown to smithereens.

Right, time to get back to the cheat sheets and see who else there is. I don't like the players available in the shallower spots (3B and SS) at this point in the draft, so I expel that tactic from my mind and look toward the best available. Hey, Chase Utley is still out there - I have a Utility spot where I could play him and having the two best 2B in the game on my team gives me enormous trade leverage. But again, do I want to draft an injured player so early in the draft? I dunno, it's tempting. I decide on my other option - Matt Holliday, an outfield player with Oakland. His value has been decreased as he has moved to Oakland and there isn't very many quality players around him. But he has put up excellent numbers over the last few years. Like Kinsler, he can help me in all categories if he gets his season going. And hey, you never know, if Oakland's season really goes down the pan he may even be traded to a better team late in the season. I check his age - always important in a Dynasty League and there is no reason he doesn't have a few good years left.

It's a risk either way. Utley or Holliday.

I plump for Matt Holliday. I'm pretty happy, but there is a nagging doubt in my mind as to whether I did the right thing.

BOOM! The pick right after me is Chase Utley. Too late to worry about it now. There are 18 more picks before I pick again so it's time to relax for a while.

Kinsler and Holliday - it's really not too bad of a start at all.

SEC Championship Game

2008-12-07T23:06:00.003-06:00

College (American) Football - Alabama fell to it's first defeat of the season yesterday, losing 31 - 20 to Florida in the South Eastern Conference (SEC) Final. We made it to the Final by winning all 12 of our regular season games. Florida were the favourites going into the game - the line from Vegas was about 9 points - and so it proved. It was a great game with 4 lead changes and Alabama came out of the game defeated yet with their heads held high.

This defeat drops Alabama Crimson Tide from 1st to 4th in the National rankings, and instead of going to the National Title game against Oklahoma, we head off to New Orleans to play Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Utah have gone undefeated through their season, but against undeniably weaker opponents and Alabama will be clear favourites going into the game.

It's a great second prize opportunity, and there is always next year to win the National Championship!

Roll Tide Roll!

Fantasy Baseball 2009

2008-12-05T01:11:00.003-06:00

Well, Fantasy NFL is nearly done for the year. I missed the draft and the autodraft messed up, filling my bench with low ranked QB's so a successful run was never likely. I'm currently 6-7, looking to get to evens and then make a run in the consolation play-offs. I've done well with my team, and as we are able to keep 1 player for next year based on where we drafted them, my FA pick up of Matt Ryan has me salivating.

Fantasy NBA is well underway - my team is doing well. Took King James with the 1st overall and snagged Danny Granger with the 1st pick of the 3rd. Got my mancrush Rudy Fernandez late on too. So I love my team, it's doing well ... but ... I just find Fantasy NBA a bit dull.

I'm ready for some Baseball!! But it's months away!!

My main team is about to start it's 3rd year in a keeper league. I love this team. We keep 5 players and this is my plans at the moment:

Looking at the mock drafts going on, I have 3 first rounders in 10 team leagues, and this is a 12 team one, in A-Rod, J-Roll and Kinsler. Add in Morneau and that is a very solid in-field. I swayed on keeping Markakis or Granderson, but plumped for Markakis and managed to trade Granderson for a draft pick bump, believing he wouldn't make it back to me in the 8 spot on draft day.

Draft plans - looking to take 3 Starters in my first 5 picks and attempt to get some sort of a rotation. There is some wiggle room in our league settings for next year in doing a few daily add/drops so pitching depth doesn't overly concern me. Will need to keep a close eye on Saves - don't want to draft them too early but don't want to be left out completely at the start of the season either. Catcher position is just a touch deeper than normal so i'm in no rush to fill that. I made a mess of that last year - J.R. Towles - and ended up using multiple Catchers throughout the year.

So ... the brain is getting in gear for the 2009 season already. I have Burnett on my team and I'm hopeful I can get someone to bite on giving up a draft pick for him if he lands in Boston or New York, but it's not likely. They're a savvy bunch in my league.

Thanks for reading, and if you need a smile, picture the Scottish Sluggers preparing for battle during this cold, bleak winter.

24: Redemption Trailer

2008-09-18T13:15:00.001-05:00

A nice change of scene, and it looks bad ass!

My truck

2008-09-09T14:02:00.004-05:00

Can't be male in Alabama and not have a truck. Simply can't. And I got me a good one! Got a 2001 F-150 XLT Supercrew. Only had 37,000 miles on the clock and these things are built to run well over 100,000. Got a good deal from a Ford dealership, so was happy with the price and the security of getting it from a dealer. It runs great, the air conditioning is cold and I absolutely love the driving experience.

Came with the added foot stands, bed cover and rain guards over all the windows.

Love the colour too. My first ever car was a green 1.1l Ford Fiesta - now I have a green 4.6l V8 F-150 ... and I love it!

Wedding!

2008-09-09T13:21:00.004-05:00

Well, our wedding was brilliant. Slight issue with the dress reaching the bride a little later than expected - no idea who was to blame for that... - but it all turned out perfectly.

Some pictures:

Busy week - immigration update

2008-04-20T09:14:00.002-05:00

Had a busy week - worked five days and squeezed in a trip to London for my immigration medical. Dropped my boxers and had it confirmed I am male which was nice, and got a lecture about how there is more tobacco in cigars than cigarettes and how i should not drink coffee prior to medicals. They took blood, did a chest x-ray and if I hear nothing from them then everything is okay. Just had a day trip down there, but had time to wonder round a bit and stop for a post-medical beer at the Walkabout in Covent Garden.

Got my flat on the market too - will be in the property guide this coming Thursday. Hopeful it will sell relatively quickly. It's pretty crucial to my plans that I have it sold before I leave. It's been priced to sell, but will still make me a tidy return to use to support myself whilst getting set up out there and a downpayment on a house once i have established some credit.

Got my immigration interview date for the 27th May in the post yesterday, so another trip to London beckons at the end of next month. If all goes well there, then I should have my passport returned to me at the start of June complete with a K1 immigraton visa to enter and reside in the US of A.

So ... that just leaves planning a wedding and finding somewhere to live!

Immigration update

2008-04-06T07:19:00.007-05:00

Just thought I would update everyone on how things are going with my big move.

All forms have now been completed, notarised, signed, sealed and delivered to the US Embassy in London. Thanks to everyone who has assisted in this. Ginger's petition to bring an "Alien Fiance'" (yes, I've heard the jokes!) has been approved so it's up to me to now get accepted at an interview at the Embassy. The date of my interview has yet to be determined, but based on onformation from others going through this process I'm expecting it to be 4-8 weeks from now.

Before the interview, i have to pass a medical to ensure I don't have any nasty, pestilent diseases which i'll transport over there. Makes me sound like a piece of fruit! I have that booked for the 17th of April ... and yes ... it's in London. The Embassy are insistant that their designated doctors carry out the exam, so it has to be down there. I'm just doing a day trip on the 17th as my appointment is early afternoon. Early flight down to Gatwick then flight back in the evening. Was hoping to catch up with some of you in the big smoke, but this will need to wait till the actual interview.

Got a couple of Estate Agents coming round on Monday and Tuesday so will hopefully get the flat on the market some time next week. It's looking good - again, thanks for the help for those who have, much appreiated. Hoping i'll get a relatively quick sale - it's an excellent first time buyers or buy-to-let option, and also has great potential for someone willing to invest in new windows, kitchen etc and sell it on. Selling all the white goods, curtains etc with it too. Have found new homes for some of my furniture, but if anyone local needs any clock radios, DVD players, lamps, cushions, kitchen appliances, rugs, towels etc let me know - it will all be charity shop bound if i don't have any takers.

As for setting a wedding date, I'm afraid that is still in the air. I really don't anticipate any issues with my interview, but I am loathe to set a date before it. I also need to make sure the flat is sold before I can go. Current financial plans involve using hthe profit from the sale to get me set up over there. I will let everyone know a date as soon as I possibly can though.

So, the great immigration adventure continues. It's hard work, expensive and slow, but isn't everything when you do it legally?

Take care all,

Ben xx

Smokey and the Bandit - A guilty pleasure

2008-03-12T16:01:00.003-05:00

I like a classic film like the next man. I appreciate beautiful cinematography and I recognise heart wrenching Oscar worthy performances from leading ladies and gents.

But sometimes I like something a little lighter to keep me entertained whilst I sup a beer.

Fast cars, trucks, a basset hound and a midget? Hell yeah! Grab another cold one and turn up the sound!

I've loved this film since I was a kid. I think all guys my age do. The Bandit, portrayed by Burt Reynolds, simply defines cool. "Frog" is a good looking lass with a good sense of humour - at her best when swapping smart arse remarks with the bandit. The Snowman is a real good ol' boy - a cracking character... who has a fantastic dog to boot! As for Smokey, cracking character! Jackie Gleeson's interaction with his son is great. The "when i get home i'm gonna punch your momma..." sequence and dialogue is great!

Add to all of that midgets in cowboy hats, bar punch ups, high speed car chases complete with jumps and a truly winning formula for a movie/beer combo has been achieved.

Now ... flick up the subtitles (if you need to) and sing along!:

"Eastbound and down..."

Great stuff, high time for a re-watch.

Fantasy Sports

2008-03-09T12:08:00.001-05:00

Nothing is likely to get the good ladies eyes rolling more than me mentioning Fantasy Sports.

But I love it!

For those who don't know, it's when you pick players or teams as yours and compete against others. You score points or wins based on real life performances.

I'm an avid sports fan - always have been. I get immense enjoyment from participating in competitive leagues with friends. I find it a great way to learn about players, history and mechanics of sports I enjoy, but don't know all that much about. As such, my two favourite Fantasy leagues to play in are baseball and American Football. Now ... it can be time consuming, and can somewhat take over. And maaaaaan, it can get frustrating! Why do my players sometimes not do as well as they should!!?? Oh yeah - it's based on real life - and that's the very essence of sport - you just never know what will happen.

Ginger sent me this article last week. It pretty much sums things up and is an excellent, funny read.

At the end of the day, it's a fun, free and educational way to spend your time. So please, when I'm up till 2am pouring over the free agents looking for that one player who is going to steal me some more bases but not decimate my RBI stats, forgive me - I'm having fun!

Oh, and keep your fingers crossed for the Scottish Sluggers this year!

Ginger - My wife to be!

2008-03-09T10:08:00.001-05:00

<--- My lady - how I love her so. Not just because she's pouring me a pint either, it must be stated.

We first met via an online message board a couple of years ago. It was a place where people went to chat about tv shows, principally "24". Neither of us were looking for love, but we got chatting online, started talking on the phone, met up a few times and got engaged in October 2007. Ginger is from Alabama in the US and we are currently going through the process of getting me a visa so I can move over there, marry and settle.

She's a wonderful lady - bubbling over with character and affection. She has a son, Matthew, who certainly keeps her on her toes. Our family is completed by Dixie - a fantastic Cane Corso who she has raised from a puppy to the 80lb dog she is today. A wonderful mother and a wonderful wife to be. I'm a lucky, lucky man.

TKO on Tour? An Introduction

2008-03-09T09:23:00.000-05:00

Greetings all!

TKO?

TKO is the screen name I have used online for many years now. I first used it as a screen name on the BBC message boards when I signed up to discuss the television programme "24". The name came into my head from memories of playing old boxing games on my Sega Master system. I like the sound of it and have stuck with it as I have explored the world of internet messageboards.

TKO on Tour?

I've been lucky in life in that I have travelled to many countries, mostly on holiday but also with work. As tales of adventure from far flung countries are usually the most interesting anyone has to tell, I thought I would use the name as the basis for my blog. The Tour is about to embark on a more permanent relocation ... more on that to follow ...

So that's a brief introduction, hope you enjoy my Blog.

Ben