Month: August 2017

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

The Gamer in me GL-9 Top 5 Board games for Game night

When four friends get together to play Boardgames

You have set aside one night a week for a few friends to come over.  The kitchen table has been cleared.  You have a bag of dice, and tokens at the ready.  There is a full bowl of chips, and another couple extra bags “just in case”.  The fridge is full of beer.  Not a single one of your friends can say that you weren’t prepared.  There’s only one more thing you need.  The Games!  Which Games should you have to make sure this night is a success?  Well here’s my Top 5 games to complete the perfect Game night.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

If your play group isn’t too large.  This is probably the best Board game you can play with three or four people.  Up to six people can play but I found four to be the absolute best.  The premise of the game is simple.  You and a few others are exploring a haunted house.  Each character in the game is reminiscent of a typical horror movie character.  That alone is entertaining enough.  The real thrill of playing the game is that the evil presence in this house will eventually take control of one of the characters.  At that point the Player who is in control of that character becomes the antagonist.  Until this point the Players have just been exploring the House, which reveals itself one tile at a time.  As soon as a Player becomes the antagonist, the winning conditions for that scenario are revealed to both the antagonist, and the remaining Players.  If you are worried about replay value, don’t be.  Betrayal at House on the Hill has 50 scenarios!

Roborally

If you have read my previous gaming posts.  Then you know that Roborally is one of my favourite games of all time.  You don’t need to be an Uber Gamer to play it.  Honestly anyone who comes to your Game night will enjoy this game.  So on nights when your friends bring someone else along with them.  Someone who maybe isn’t well versed in some of the more challenging Games to play.  Roborally is probably the best choice.  Another great thing about Roborally is that it can be played by up to 8 people so when those impromptu large play groups happen.  You can be ready.  Read my full review to see why this is my all time Favourite Board game.  The Gamer in me GL-5

Ticket to Ride

One of the most popular topics for Board games recently has been trains.  Whether it’s about Running a train company, traveling by train, or building tracks between destinations.  Train games have become a mainstay.  The best of these is definitely Ticket to Ride.  Great for groups of 3-5 Players.  Ticket to Ride is another game that’s relatively simple to learn.  The Strategy required to win at Ticket to Ride is knowing when to go all out, and when to play it safe. For a game that you can teach someone to play in about 10 minutes.  Ticket to Ride has a lot of routes to victory, and limitless replayability.

Imperial Assault

Why is Imperial Assault on this list?  Hmmm, let me count the reasons.  1- it’s set in the Star Wars universe.  If you aren’t a fan of Star Wars, well #### you.  2- it’s essentially a Sci-Fi version of the best dungeon crawler Descent by Fantasy Flight Games.  If you haven’t played Descent, well #### you.  3- it comes with what should be a 36 hour Campaign perfect for 3-5 people.  If you aren’t into Campaign games, well #### you.  4- it’s a currently supported title with expansions coming out regularly, so replayability isn’t a problem.  If you aren’t a fan of games that require expansions, well #### you.  Other than that, it’s possibly one of the most addictive games ever made.

Clue

I probably surprised most of you with this one.  The original classic Game of limited information is still one of the absolute best games to play with a group of friends.  I’ve heard people say that once you have figured out the basic Strategy to Clue, it’s only a matter of time before you know who did it, with what, and where.  I don’t disagree.  Anyone who has played Clue enough times knows this.  That’s why very few people I play with have the patience to wait until they have figured it out 100%.  As the solution begins to become clearer.  Each Player begins to worry that somebody else will figure out the final solution before them.  So what tends to happen is that Players make educated guesses.  At my house, if you guess wrong you pitch in double for Pizza.  The eventual winner gets their Pizza for free.  If it’s been a while since the last time you played Clue?  Do yourself a favour, and get a few friends together to play a game.  You won’t be disappointed.

Categories
FANTASY Uncategorized

Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-19 True Fanatics Draft analysis

Draft Recap

The draft took place at 9:00pm EST Monday August 28 on NFL Fantasy.  I manage the Cobe Life team.  With the third pick in the Draft, my Strategy going in was to Target Antonio Brown in the first, and then grab the best RB available in the second.  Like every Draft your plans can change in a flash.  Obviously my Strategy changed completely.

Round 1

My Pick: with Le’Veon Bell still available it became an automatic selection for me.  So much for targeting Antonio Brown in the first.

Biggest surprise: Aaron Rodgers going second overall surprised everyone.

Pick of the Round: it was more luck than wisdom but Le’Veon Bell third overall was a slight steal.

Round 2

My Pick: so my Strategy flipped from the best RB to the best WR.  Doug Baldwin was the best WR available in my opinion.  An argument could be made for Brandin Cooks, but he is unproven with Brady.  His role in the Patriots Offence is questionable as well due to the Edelman injury.  I prefer to pick sure things early, and you can be sure that Doug Baldwin will remain as Russell Wilson’s top target.

Biggest surprise: with the final pick in the second Round, Muh Feelins selected Marshawn Lynch.  Beast mode’s coming off a one year hiatus, and his final Season with Seattle was far from stellar.  Definitely a gamble to take him in the second Round.  Will it pay off?

Pick of the Round: with the 17th pick overall, Watch it Burn picked Jordy Nelson.  In my opinion Jordy Nelson is a first Round talent.  There are concerns about his age.  In a redraft league age isn’t that much of a consideration.  Nelson’s familiarity with the Green Bay Offence, and Aaron Rodgers is Fantasy gold.

Round 3

My Pick: with my Draft Strategy out the window.  I figured why not mix things up a bit, and do something I almost never do.  Draft a Top tier Quarterback early.  So I pulled the trigger on Tom Brady.  I figured with Le’Veon Bell already on my Roster.  The Brady/Bell combination would give me a matchup advantage over most of the league in the QB and RB positions.  As long as I drafted a decent lead Running Back next.

Biggest surprise: with the 35th pick overall Breton selected Joe Mixon. There is a lot of hype surrounding this year’s RB rookie class.  They are Rookies though.  Last I checked Jeremy Hill, and Giovanni Bernard are still on the Bengals roster.  Mixon will have every opportunity to be the number 1 Running Back, but what does that really mean?  How many touches a game will he get?  Is Bernard who’s proven himself to be a great pass catching Running Back going to be the go to guy on third downs?  What is Hill’s role?  Does he still get goal line work?  That’s just too many questions for Round 3.

Pick of the Round: with the 32nd pick overall to Watch it Burn.  Lamar Miller is a great selection at this point in the Draft.  Beginning his second Season as Houston’s lead Running Back.  Lamar Miller should have a breakout year.  With a new Quarterback leading the way I expect Miller to get a heavy workload.

Round 4

My Pick: after picking Tom Brady in the third Round, I knew my next pick was going to be a Running Back.  The two I was considering were Bilal Powell and Kareem Hunt.  I chose Bilal Powell because I see him as the New York Jets only offensive weapon.  He could potentially be their top Running Back, and top Receiving target.

Biggest surprise: with the 44th pick of the Round, Aegon Targaryen selected Matt Ryan.  Sure he is coming off an MVP Season.  That Season was unlike any other Season he has ever had, and The Falcons begin this Season with a new Offensive Coordinator.  If his numbers regress to his career averages.  Matt Ryan is projected as more of a mid to late Round selection.  At this point in the Draft he had better have another great Season.

Pick of the Round: with the 38th pick overall, Breton selected Demaryius Thomas.  There are concerns about the Quarterback situation in Denver.  If it wasn’t for that, Demaryius Thomas would probably get drafted in the second Round.  He’s just that good.  His second Season with Trevor Siemian at the helm can only help him increase his numbers from last year.  

Round 5

My Pick: this was the first pick I made that really had me thinking.  Kareem Hunt was still available.  Tyreek Hill was a tempting target as well.  Instead I went with what I hope will be a repeat of last year’s production with Larry Fitzgerald.  Fitz is still the number 1 target in Arizona.  Time is running out on the core group of Players to make a final playoff push.  The only reason Fitzgerald didn’t retire is because he believes that they can get there.  That’s the kind of motivation I want on my team.

Biggest surprise: three Tight Ends went in this Round.  It’s unusual to see 6 Tight Ends off the board by the end of Round 5.  I didn’t notice it happen, and paid the price later for missing it.

Pick of the Round:  with the 58th overall pick, Texas Proud selected Kareem Hunt.  I could have picked him twice by then but went with proven performers.  Still Kareem Hunt is in a great position to succeed as a result of Spencer Ware’s injury.  As long as he performs decently in the first few games of the Season.  Kareem Hunt will be the featured Running Back in Kansas City.  He actually has a better chance of being the lead Running Back for his team than other Rookies being drafted ahead of him like Dalvin Cook, and Joe Mixon.

Round 6

My Pick: I ended up picking Rob Kelley after the last TE I was targeting went off the Board the pick before mine.  Delanie Walker, Tyler Eifert, and Martellus Bennett went in this Round.  This is when I realized that there had been a run on Tight Ends.  Realizing that only low end Players were left I decided to continue to bolster my Running Back corps.

Biggest surprise: Obviously it was the continued run on Tight Ends.

Pick of the Round: with the 69th pick, Dez Pacitos selected Martellus Bennett.  The last of the quality Tight Ends with very little risk.  Even though this is actually a bit of a reach.  It was a very smart reach to make given the situation.

Round 7

My Pick: Stefon Diggs was just sitting at the Top of the available Players list for far too long.  I kept waiting to see who would take him.  When he was still there in the 7th Round I just had to take him.  I see him finishing the Season in the Top 30 at Wide Receiver.

Biggest surprise: with the 82nd pick, Texas Proud selected the Denver Broncos DST.  Somebody has to pick the first DST.  In the 7th Round is quite early though.  Even if it’s the best Defence in the league, on my favourite Team.  No I’m not bitter about it.  

Pick of the Round: with the 80th pick, Watch it Burn selected Cam Newton.  Only one Season removed from an MVP Season, and additional Offensive Weapons added through the Draft.  Cam Newton has a very high ceiling.  At this point in the Draft his potential is worth the gamble.

Round 8

My Pick: I continue to select overlooked number 1 Players at their position.  Pierre Garcon was a PPR machine in Washington. A team that was blessed with a wealth of targets.  In San Francisco his share of the targets will definitely increase.  Even on a Team that’s rebuilding, that’s a great situation.

Biggest surprise: that Broncos pick in the previous Round kicked off a panic run on DSTs.  The Chiefs, Seahawks, and Vikings were all selected during this Round.

Pick of the Round: with the 93rd pick Dez Pacitos selected Doug Martin.  Sure he’s beginning the Season under suspension.  When his suspension is over though, Doug Martin is unquestionably the number 1 Running Back in Tampa Bay.  A workhorse Running Back in the 8th Round?  Yes please!  He went one pick before I could draft him.

Round 9

My Pick: another Player at the top of his team’s depth chart at his position.  I missed out on Doug Martin.  I wasn’t going to miss out on Paul Perkins.

Biggest surprise: with the 101rst pick Aegon Targaryen selected Kenny Britt.  Not a lot of Fantasy Players have faith in Kenny Britt.  I actually believe that Britt and Coleman make for a decent one two punch in Cleveland.  This is definitely a reach for a Player that doesn’t get drafted in a lot of Fantasy drafts.

Pick of the Round: my selection of Paul Perkins with the 99th pick was an absolute steal. I’ve seen him go in the 7th Round in previous drafts.

it

Round 10

My Pick: well I couldn’t wait any longer, and finally drafted my Tight End.  Hunter Henry has the most upside of the remaining TEs.  Sure Antonio Gates is still playing, but Henry is bound to see plenty of targets in the Chargers pass happy Offence.

Biggest surprise: the first pick of this Round was used by Geezer Domination to select Cooper Kupp.  There has been a lot of talk about Kupp’s potential breakout.  That was before the Rams traded for Sammy Watkins though.

Pick of the Round: with the 114th pick Raider in the North selected DeVante Parker.  I honestly believe that the recent addition of Jay Cutler makes Parker better.  Cutler loves to throw the deep ball and Parker is a burner.

Round 11

My Pick: I always carry two Quarterbacks on my roster in case of injuries.  Getting Andy Dalton this late in the Draft makes me feel like I made a mistake drafting Brady early.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Dalton finishes the Season in the Top 6 at his position.

Biggest surprise: Dez Pacitos drafted Thomas Rawls with the 124th pick.  I’m surprised Rawls lasted this long.  I’m not sure if Lacy is the man in Seattle yet.

Pick of the Round: Thomas Rawls

Round 12

My Pick: Marvin Jones.  It’s gamble time.  I expect the Lions to be in a lot of high scoring affairs.  Jones will get his share.

Biggest surprise: Watch it Burn selected C.J. Prosise.  An injury prone potentially third down Back, on a Team with a really good Scrambler at Quarterback who prefers to throw down field.

Pick of the Round: nobody really stands out in this Round.

Round 13

My Pick: Kevin White.  He is now the default number 1 Wide Receiver in Chicago.  In Round 13 that’s enough for me.

Biggest surprise: nothing really stands out.

Pick of the Round: with the 154th pick, Texas Proud selected Zay Jones.  With Sammy Watkins gone.  Buffalo is going to need the remaining Wide Receivers to step up.

Round 14

My Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars DST. Some great Players on this Squad.

Biggest surprise: nothing really.

Pick of the Round: with the 164th pick, Aegon Targaryen selected Chris Hogan.  Hogan has had success filling in for injured Players before.  With Edelman out for the Season.  Hogan will get opportunities.

Round 15

My Pick: Brandon McManus.  Got to love the thin air in Denver.

Biggest surprise: quite a few Tight Ends were drafted in the final Round.

Pick of the Round: the final pick of the draft went to Geezer Domination, and he selected the L.A. Rams DST.  Not bad, not bad at all.

Let me know what surprised you in this Draft.  Which Team won the Draft?

Continue reading “Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-19 True Fanatics Draft analysis”
Categories
FANTASY Uncategorized

Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-18 PlayLine

A new way to play.

Fantasy Fanatics like myself are always looking for a new way to play.  I was an early adopter of PPR.  I remember people telling me that it diminishes the significance of True Running Backs.  Well now it’s considered to be the standard.  FanDuel and DraftPros changed the way we bet on games.  Even ProLine got in on the act.  Well the next, and in my opinion the easiest form of Sports betting has come.  PlayLine has simplified Sports betting to something as simple as how many carries, yards, and touchdowns you think LeSean McCoy will get in his next game.  If you are the closest to his actual total amongst all the Competitors then you win.  It’s that simple!  Larger prize pools will probably include a larger number of NFL Players you will be required to predict.  Anyone with even the slightest understanding of the game could feasibly win.  You don’t need to understand point spreads, over/under, or positional matchups.  Salary cap?  Who really wants to crunch those numbers?  Well I do!  I’m the type of guy that factors in the weather report when picking my lineup, but that’s me.  PlayLine doesn’t pretend to be the most advanced Sports betting system.  There’s already enough of those available fighting for market share.  What PlayLine offers is the ability to make a few simple predictions in less than a minute to make the game you are about to watch just a little more interesting.

Bonus Time!

The PlayLine website and Application launched yesterday.  For a limited time they are offering a huge selection of Freeroll events to introduce their product.  Copy and Paste this link to sign up now and qualify for their million dollar bonus event.

www.playline.com/r/CobeLife

All you have to do is predict the total rushing yards, and number of carries for David Johnson, LeSean McCoy, and Le’Veon Bell.  If you get it bang on, consider yourself a million dollars richer.  Oh and by the way you can enter up to 50 times while spaces are available.  If you are wondering if I got my 50 entries in?  Damn right I did.  Why wouldn’t I?  Why wouldn’t you for that matter?  The number of entries are limited to a total of 5000.  Once the word gets out, I expect them to fill up fast.  So do yourself a favour and use the link I provided to get started.

Will it last?

Every new thing is always met with a tonne of excitement.  A new super bar opens downtown?  I’m there.  Skydome opening day?  Yeah I was there.  The first TFC Game?  You know I had tickets.  Do I still frequent that fantastic bar?  Maybe I would, but it closed years ago.  The Skydome is now called the Roger’s Centre, and it doesn’t really excite me to go there.  I can’t remember the last time I went to a TFC game.  Will I still be placing bets on PlayLine a year from now?  Well that’s going to depend on what unique betting opportunities they offer?  Predicting the number of receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns Rob Gronkowski might finish a game with can get old really quick.  Especially if I lose to someone who has no clue, and beats me because Gronkowski got hurt in the first quarter.  When you study the Game of Football as much as I do.  Playing a game of educated guesses is less appealing.  Things become a little more enticing when you find out that Michael Bisping is a part owner, and some events could land you ringside with The Count at a UFC event.  It’s promotions like this one that will keep me coming back.  Will PlayLine be my go to betting website?  Probably not, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be yours.  One thing is for sure.  It will definitely make Game night at the bar with your friends even better.  Find a 5 person event on that nights Game and all of you grab a spot, and make your predictions.  Whichever one of you is closest wins the money.  Just be sure to pay your portion of the Bill before the game ends if you are winning.  If your friends are anything like mine.  You’ll probably get stuck with the check if you win.  In the meantime you might as well get your football fix on PS4.

Categories
FANTASY Uncategorized

Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-17 Fluid Draft Strategy

The impossible question

Every year I get asked the same question?  In which Round of the Draft should I target so and so?  This is a completely impossible question to answer fairly.  I could tell you what a Player’s Average Draft Position is.  That would tell you which Round they usually get drafted in.  I could tell you a Player’s Fantasy ceiling.  Then compare it to last year’s numbers to see where that would have placed them overall.  You could decide how long you are willing to wait before drafting them based on that.

The truth is that when to draft a particular Player is determined by the flow of your Draft.  I recently had a friend ask me who they should draft 4th overall.  What neither of us could have predicted is that Le’Veon Bell was still on the board when it was his turn to pick.  Other people told him to grab Antonio Brown or Julio Jones.  I told him to just grab the best Player available.  There really wasn’t any other answer I could honestly give him.  My most successful drafts have been when I was able to predict when specific Players were about to be drafted, and when runs on each position would occur.   A lot of preparation goes into this.  The first thing you need to know is the top three tiers of each position.  In a 12 Team league the three Tiers are easy to identify.  Tier 1 are Players that will likely go in the first four Rounds.  Tier 2 are Players that will likely get picked between Rounds 5 and 9. Tier 3 includes every Player who is likely to get drafted from Round 10 till the end of your Draft.  This will help you decide what to do when a run on a specific position happens.  For example, lets say that you have determined that Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees are the guaranteed first Tier Quarterbacks.  You’ve decided to pass on taking a first Tier Quarterback, and target a second Tier Quarterback instead.  Among the second Tier Quarterbacks you are interested in drafting are Matt Ryan, Marcus Mariota, Kirk Cousins, Jameis Winston, Russell Wilson, and Cam Newton.  As your Draft unfolds,  Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady get picked in the First Round.  Somebody else believes that Matt Ryan will repeat his MVP Season, and picks him in the Second Round.  Three Quarterbacks picked in the first two rounds can cause a panic.  So in Round three, four more Managers pick Quarterbacks.  Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, and Ben Roethlisberger all get drafted.  This only leaves three of your targeted Quarterbacks still available.  So you should draft one immediately right?

Hell no!

Even in a twelve team league it doesn’t make much sense to pull the trigger now.  Seven Managers already have their starting Quarterback.  So you won’t have to worry about them drafting another Quarterback for quite a while.  There’s only four other Managers that could potentially draft one of your targeted Quarterbacks before you.  What you should be doing is figuring out two more Quarterbacks you would be Ok with drafting just in case.  The real advantage you will be getting by waiting is determined by the Players you pick.  While the opposing Managers are in a panic.  You are able to draft Players that are worth more than the Round position you are drafting them in.  So draft the best Player available!  

By the time the draft is done, and every Manager is sizing up their competition.  Get ready to hear things like, “wow your team is stacked”!  Somebody might comment that “you’ve got a great group of Wide Receivers”!  Trust me, people will think you got extremely lucky, or drafted behind an idiot.  When they look through the Draft picks by Round they will realize that they passed on some of your key Players because you didn’t panic when they did.  In a situation like the one I described.   Other opportunities become available to you by exercising patience.  If at least half the Managers in your league reach for a Quarterback.  You could reach for a Player that would provide you with a positional advantage at some point as well.  While your opponents are grabbing second tier Quarterbacks in Round three.  You are free to abandon your plans to grab a Tier three Tight End, and instead take Gronkowski or Kelce in the fourth Round.  Provided you picked the best Player available in the third Round.  You should still match up well against the rest of your league.

If you are interested in joining the True Fanatics League on nfl.com and joining in our weekly Fantasy league discussion.  Apply to be a Manager through our Contact us page.  Tell me why you would be a great addition to the league.  It’s free to join.  You just need to sign up for a VIP Subscription to Cobe Life.

Categories
FISHING

The Right Angle RA-11 Rainy day blues

Over before it started.

Yesterday the weather was perfect.  Clear skies, on a hot day without it being too humid.  My wife and I took the GO train out to Burlington, and I couldn’t help but stare longingly at every stream we crossed.  It was a bit of a tease but I wasn’t bothered by it too much.  I knew that we had already made plans to go fishing early this morning.  😁 According to the weather report we were supposed to have a similar day to yesterday.  Well that just wasn’t the case.  We woke up to the annoying sound of rain beating against our bedroom window.  So much for our perfect day of Fishing.  It was over before it even begun.

What to do now?

If you’ve ever had a planned Fishing trip ruined by the weather?  Then you’ll know that anything else you might think of doing instead seems lacking.  Go see a movie?  Yippee!  Could always get some shopping done?  Yeah, that compares to the strike a five pound Bass makes.  Binge watch something on Netflix?  Unfortunately I’ve already finished watching anything I’m really interested in.  Although there are a couple of highly rated foreign series I haven’t watched yet.  I so love subtitles!  In the end we decided to stay in, and catch up on house cleaning while NFL preseason games repeat on NFL Network.  Thank God for football.

What happens next?

I’m going to be eager to get out and go Fishing as soon as possible.  It won’t have to be anywhere special.  Just the closest River with Shore Fishing access.  I’ll probably end up night Fishing in the city.  If you have read my previous Fishing post,   The Right Angle RA-10 Old Mill at night  then you will know what I’m hoping for.  It’s when things don’t go my way after a disappointing day like this that the real frustration sets in.  You are probably wondering why that is?  To fully understand you need to know how my mind works.  The day before I go fishing I imagine what I might catch.  I factor in where I’m Fishing.  Which breeds I plan on fishing for.  Which lures I plan on using to catch the fish.  If I have fished there before, then which spots I expect to get strikes.  If I do as well as I expected.  Then the trip is a total success.  If I don’t, well it just wasn’t my day.  Hopefully I had a great time anyways, and learned something as well.  Where things can get weird is when my Fishing trip gets cancelled.  Suddenly everything that I imagined could happen.  Would have happened if I could have gone Fishing.  My mind tricks me into believing that I just missed out on the perfect Fishing day.  At this point I won’t be satisfied until I can replace the imaginary perfect day I missed.  Do you follow what I’m saying?  The next time I go fishing had better be amazing, or I won’t be satisfied.  The weather could be perfect.  I could find a new spot with great access to the River.  I could see a family of deer across the River stop to take a drink, while a Bald Eagle soars overhead.  If I don’t catch that trophy Bass I imagined the day before my cancelled Fishing trip.  Then none of it will matter.

I could go on and on about the monumental disappointment I’m potentially facing my next time out.  With any luck that won’t be the case.  Hopefully my next post will have a picture of me holding a trophy Bass, and this will all be over.  One thing is for sure.  I won’t stop casting until I get that perfect picture.

 

Categories
GOLF Uncategorized

Getting paired up Starting from Scratch SS-15

Playing with Strangers

You have finally developed a half decent swing.  Your last Range session left you feeling confident about using your 3 Wood off the Tee.  You managed to hit a few targets with your short Irons.  It’s time to get out on the course, and put all of that practice to good use.  You are probably about a 40 handicap.  Not including Mulligans, and duffs.  Still you’re confident that you can get through a Round of Golf on a short course with a few balls.  You give your Golfing buddy a call.

It’s Time

You arrive at your local 18 Hole public course that’s only 3000 yards long.  It has a practice putting Green, so you hit a few while waiting for your friend to arrive.  You even manage to sink a couple mid-length putts.  Your confidence is high.  This is going to be a great day!  Your friend arrives, and the two of you head into the club house to pay for your Round.  You almost carry your clubs inside when your friend informs you that you aren’t allowed to.   What?  These clubs cost me a pretty penny!  You realize that everyone else’s clubs are standing by the door as well so uncomfortably you do the same.  With your Round tickets in hand, the two of you head over to the starter.  “Good morning, great day for a Round” he says.  What he says next will shatter your positive outlook for the day.  “It’s pretty busy today, so I’ll be pairing you up”.  Pairing us up!  What does that mean? “You will be playing with those two people waiting by the first Tee” he tells us.

Oh shit no!

Your friend acts like nothing has happened.  Obviously this has happened before.  How could they not tell you that this was a possibility?  Your heart starts racing.  You suddenly are aware that your hands are a bit sweaty.  So many possibilities of what could happen start swirling through your mind.  What if I shank my first Tee shot?  What am I going to do if I hit one in to the bunker?  I’ve never practiced a shot out of a bunker.  I haven’t been hitting my Wedges well. I was hoping to learn how to do it during the Round.  I’m going to be holding everyone up.  I should have gone to the Range yesterday to get my swing perfect.

Settle down

I went through this exact scenario, my second time out.  There’s a common misconception that Golfers are intolerable jerks.  What I’ve learned over the last two Seasons is that they are actually the opposite.  Provided you know basic Golf etiquette.   Read my Golf Etiquette Starting from Scratch SS-12  Most Golfers are happy to see new Players getting into the game.  Quite a few of them actually gave me pointers during our Round together.  Another common misconception made by Beginners is believing that every Golfer you come across is leaps and bounds better than you.  What you need to remember is that Golf is a really difficult Game to master.  I’ve played with Strangers that have been golfing for 10 years, and finished with a better score.  Remember that this is only my Second full Season of Golf.  The first thing I do whenever I get paired up is introduce myself, and inform my new playing partners that I’ve only been playing for 2 years.  I let them know I’m serious about Golf though so my game isn’t terrible.  Just don’t be surprised if I slice or duff a few.  That little bit of information prepares them to have to play a little slower, or in some cases be surprised by my ability.  Even if you are making terrible shots all day.  As long as you are making an effort.  There’s a very good chance that everyone you are playing with will support you.

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

The Gamer in me GL-8 That’s You

A Happy alternative

So I celebrated my birthday a week ago.  Unfortunately the actual day landed on a Tuesday so I waited until the following weekend to party.  Now usually my birthday celebrations involve a bunch of friends, a bar, too many drinks to count, and a lot of very bad choices.

Well this year I decided to do something different.  I wanted to avoid the embarrassing moments, and subsequent hangover.  Instead of going out, I invited a select group of friends over to my place.  In place of a dance floor and bar.  We had a living room and kitchen.  Instead of a DJ we had my PS4.  Sure there was still plenty of beer and wine in the fridge.  The drinks were going to happen no matter what I decided.  What really made this birthday special was the addition of a specific game.

That’s You

If you have a PS4 and haven’t played this yet?  Then you are doing yourself a serious disservice.  If you are a PS Plus member?  Log into the PlayStation Store and download it now for free.  Go ahead and do it now, I’ll wait….

Once you have the game loaded on your PS4. You will also need to download the companion App on your smartphone to play.  The way the game is played is simple. The game asks the group of Players a question.  Then each Player decides which one of them is the most appropriate answer.  The game might ask you which one of you is always late?  Then through the Application on your phone you select your answer.  The more Players that agree with you.  The more points you will receive.  The Player with the most points at the end wins.  There are also a few mini-games  that include sketching with your fingers, or taking a selfie.  They add additional elements to the game, but the real enjoyment is in the questions.

It might surprise you what some of your friends think about you.  Of course it’s all in good fun.  You won’t lose any friendships because of That’s You.  Well at least I hope you wouldn’t.  I’d be surprised if you aren’t laughing out loud by the third question.  Up to six people can play at once.  It makes for a very competitive game.  Keep the number of Players in mind though if you plan on having a That’s You party.

The game had me so enthralled that even though my fridge was full of beer.  I woke up the next day, and for the first time in about as long as I can remember.  I wasn’t severely hungover the day after my birthday.  I was so focused on the game that I forgot to drink.  That’s all the proof you need to know that it’s a great game.

Categories
FANTASY Uncategorized

Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-16 Wide Receivers

Top 8 Wide Receivers

Things haven’t changed much over the last few years at Wide Receiver.  The usual suspects are still at the top.  Although a couple of Players that have taken the next step, or found themselves in Fantasy favourable positions have cracked my Top 8 for the first time.

Antonio Brown

Is Antonio Brown the best Wide Receiver in the NFL?  The simple answer is yes.  Not as physically gifted as the majority of other Wide Receivers on this list.  Antonio Brown makes up for his lack of size with impeccable route running, and impressive quickness.  His ability to create separation from defenders is second to none.  He also happens to be on one of the most explosive offences in the league.  It doesn’t hurt to have Ben Roethlisberger throwing him the ball.  Especially when the two of them are so in tune with one another, that you’d swear that they have a psychic connection.

Now this is where things can sometimes cause a problem.  Roethlisberger has been pretty banged up over the years.  When he isn’t playing at 100%, or at all.  Antonio Brown’s numbers will take a hit.  Because he isn’t a tall Wide Receiver, the Quarterback can’t just throw jump balls at him.  Quite a few passes require perfect timing in to space.  Roethlisberger has perfected that timing.  His Backup hasn’t.  All in all though Antonio Brown won’t disappoint.  No matter who ends up under center.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Young, brash, cocky, and talented.  He’s been criticized for being a bit of a hot head, but that hasn’t affected his overall numbers.  OBJ could become the best Receiver in Fantasy Football if he continues to refine his skills.  Highlight catches have been his specialty, but I believe a 1500 yard Season with 12 touchdowns is in the near future.

There has been some concern about his Touchdown numbers regressing.  The popular opinion is that the addition of Brandon Marshall will limit the number of looks OBJ will get in the Red zone.  Well in 2015 Eric Decker still managed to haul in 12 touchdowns with Brandon Marshall playing opposite him.  Eric Decker!  Brandon Marshall hauled in 14 touchdowns of his own that Season.  I’m sure all of you would consider OBJ to be a far more talented Receiver than Eric Decker.  What that Season proved is that it’s going to impossible to shift the Defence to either side of the field when OBJ and Brandon Marshall are on opposite sides.  One on one coverage will create opportunities OBJ hasn’t had before.

Julio Jones

Considered by most to be the most talented, and physically gifted Wide Receiver in the league.  I agree by the way.  Julio Jones is borderline unstoppable.  In my opinion he is the Randy Moss of this generation.  If it wasn’t for the Atlanta Falcons having so many Weapons on Offence.  Julio Jones could potentially break 2000 yards receiving in a single Season.

What boggles me, and many other Fantasy Managers is why Matt Ryan seems to forget he’s on the field in the Red zone.  Honestly Julio Jones should be catching double digit touchdowns every Season.  It’s only happened once.  I don’t know if Atlanta thinks they are being clever.  Maybe using Jones to draw coverages away from the intended Receiver.  Whatever the reason somebody needs to remind them that Julio Jones would probably score if you told the men covering him that he’s the intended receiver.  After his ridiculous catch in last year’s Superbowl I think the Falcons might look his way in the end zone more often.

Mike Evans

Every year Evans gets a little better.  He’s definitely Jameis Winston’s favourite target.  He’s physically imposing, and incredibly athletic.  Year after year he’s battled against double teams and won.  Well things are about to change.  The addition of DeSean Jackson will help stretch the field, and prevent safeties from doubling Evans.  This could be the year that Mike Evans finishes as the number one Wide Receiver in Fantasy.  Tampa Bay is in a perfect situation to establish themselves as the team to beat in NFC South.  Looking to build off a 9 Win 2016.  The Bucs will put the ball in Winston’s hands to get them to the playoffs.  I expect his trust in Evans will be showcased early and often.

Jordy Nelson

Life is good when you are Aaron Rodgers favourite target.  But there are so many targets in Green Bay?  I hear that said all the time.  Watch a Green Bay Packers game.  Pay special attention to third down plays, and Red zone plays.  Sometimes it seems like Jordy Nelson is the only Receiver on the field.  But he’s getting old, and suffered that torn ACL?  Did anyone notice him slowing down last year?  I sure as hell didn’t.  The 14 touchdowns he hauled in would prove otherwise as well.  Do yourself a favour, and draft Nelson with confidence.

A. J. Green

Take one look at A.J. Green, and it makes complete sense that he is such a successful Wide Receiver.  At six foot four inches tall, and two hundred ten pounds on a long lean frame he’s created to catch balls.  A.J. Green poses a serious problem for Defensive Backs.  If not for missing six games last season due to a hamstring tear.  A.J. Green would have undoubtedly kept his 1000+ yards per season streak alive.  Last season was A.J. Green’s first sub 1000 yards season.  His rapport with Quarterback Andy Dalton has been perfect from the very beginning.  They are truly one of the best Quarterback – Wide Receiver tandems in football.

This off season the Cincinnati Bengals added new offensive weapons John Ross, and Joe Mixon in the draft.  I don’t see A.J. Green losing many targets to either one of them.  Actually the addition of John Ross should stretch the field.  Safety’s will be forced to stay deep to prevent the big play potential of Ross.  Leaving Green with one on one coverage against Cornerbacks on the outside.  A battle that he’s proven time, and again that he can win.

Michael Thomas

Talk about a great Rookie Season.  92 Receptions for 1137 yards, and 9 touchdowns.  As a reward the New Orleans Saints let Brandin Cooks go, and made Thomas the number one Receiver.  What remains to be seen is whether Thomas can handle the increased pressure of being  number one.  I believe that he will handle it well.  With Drew Brees throwing him the ball in the Saints high scoring Offence.  The sky is the limit for Michael Thomas.

Doug Baldwin

This could very well be the year that Baldwin is considered among the elite Wide Receivers in the NFL.  What I am actually expecting is a mixture of his 2015 & 2016 seasons.  A stat line of something like 95 catches for 1100 yards, and 11 touchdowns is highly probable.  I believe that he could actually exceed those numbers.  It will depend on the production of recently acquired Running Back Eddy Lacy though.

Without question Doug Baldwin is a WR1.  I would draft him over Fantasy favourites like DeAndre Hopkins, T.Y. Hilton, and Demaryius Thomas.  With a healthy Russell Wilson back in the huddle.  Look for Doug Baldwin to find lots of room on the outside, and down field.  Another year in the Seattle Seahawks system has Jimmy Graham keeping defences honest so Baldwin won’t have to face too many double coverages.

 

Categories
GOLF Uncategorized

PGA Championship Starting from Scratch SS-14

A marked improvement

I’m just going to come right out and say it.  Watching Golf on TV isn’t the most exciting thing that you can do.  Even if you are a fanatic like me.  Most PGA Tour events are about as exciting as The Antique Roadshow.  They have their moments, but most of the time it’s just more of the same.  The commentary doesn’t help either.  Nothing like stating the obvious 90% of the time.  God forbid if it’s overcast.  Even the network camera men have a difficult time locating where balls landed.  Good luck with figuring it out from home.  Now with all that having been said.  I do get a little excited for the Majors.

My four Majors in order from my most favourite to the least is The Masters, The Open, The U.S. Open, and then the PGA Championship.  Although it isn’t a Major I actually like The Players Championship more than the U.S. Open, and the PGA.  Why so little love for the PGA you wonder.  Well traditionally it’s played on the easiest course of the bunch.  I prefer seeing the top Golfers tested.  The other three Majors are filled with tradition, and a substantial amount of reverence.  The PGA Championship just feels a bit plastic to me.  It’s the last Major of the Season, so fans of the sport have witnessed a fair amount of drama in previous events by then.  Great shots begin to feel a bit pedestrian when you’ve already seen them achieved numerous times.

Well I’m watching the final round of the PGA Championship while writing this, and it’s more than grabbed my attention.  First of all, the changes that have been made to Quail Hollow in preparation for this event are stellar.  They took what was once a course that could be dominated by brute force long hitters.  They’ve turned it into a course that rewards precise Tee shots, and calculated risk, over basic long driving.  Any mistake made on this course can punish even the best scramblers.  I’ve complained that the PGA is far too easy at times.  Well it’s Sunday and the final group has just begun the back nine.  Currently five Players are tied for the lead at only 7 under par.  With the most difficult section of the course still to come.  This is anyone’s PGA Championship to win.  Another considerate addition for us watching at home is the addition of shot tracer technology when Players Tee off.  Actually getting to see how each Player shapes their shot.  It adds an element that was sorely missing from most PGA Tour broadcasts.  Not only do you get to see the end result of each Tee shot.  You begin to understand why each Player approaches each shot the way they do.

So only the final group is left on the course.  Justin Thomas out paced the field and has a 2 shot lead.  Only Kisner can catch him, but after missing his Birdie putt on 17 it seems very unlikely.  It was on the tenth Hole when I realized Thomas was going to win it.  Call it fate, luck, or divine intervention.  It began with an errant Tee shot.  It looked like he might have caught it out of the heel.  He hit a massive Draw heading way left of the Fairway.  What was likely to take Birdie, or maybe even Par out of the equation turned into a great Drive when his ball ricocheted off a tree, and landed in the Fairway.  His approach shot to the Green went long.  Still it left him with a relatively easy chip to get up and down for Birdie.  What should have been an easy Chip came out soft from the Bermuda rough, and left a tricky 8 footer.  Thomas’ Putt literally stopped on the left edge of the cup.  How it didn’t go in amazed everyone.  Thomas took the full 10 seconds to give it a chance to drop.  In the tenth second it did!

From that moment on Thomas played like a man destined to win, and win he did.

Your 2017 PGA Champion is Justin Thomas!

 

Categories
FISHING Uncategorized

The Right Angle RA-10 Old Mill at night

While the city sleeps

Something that I have always liked about Toronto is how quiet it can be at night.  Sure it stays busy downtown at night on the weekends.  Head a little West, or North of the downtown core.  It can get as quiet as being on a river up North at dusk.  This particular evening I thought I’d give the Humber River a little South of the Old Mill a shot.

I have fished this area quite a few times.  Unless the Salmon are running it isn’t the greatest spot.  I have had some success catching the odd trout there.  That’s what I was fishing for that night.  This was gonna be a new experience for me.  I usually fish in the early morning.  I have never fished this particular spot at night before.  So I really didn’t know what to expect.

I decided to travel light.  I brought my 8ft light flex two piece rod, and spincast Reel with 8lb monofilament.  I only bought 3 lures with me.  A number 3 Blue Fox silver spinner.  A number 2 Panther Martin in the bumble bee colouring.  Lastly a Silver & Blue spoon.

Anyone that’s fished downstream of the Old Mill knows that there are a fair number of potential snags.  I figured that one of three things would happen to signal the end of my night.  There wouldn’t be any action, and I wouldn’t even get a single bite for a few hours.  I would lose all three lures to snags.  I would actually catch a nice sized fish, and satisfyingly call it a night.

I took the TTC subway to Old Mill station and made my way along the path downstream.  There are very few spots with access to the River that are suitable for shore fishing.  Just north of the Toronto Humber Yacht club is one such spot.  It also happens to be my favourite.

You can easily cast to both sides of the River.  I’ve also had some success here before.  Albeit the previously successful visits were in the morning.   I decided to begin my evening of Fishing with the Blue and Silver Spoon.  It ended up being a fantastic choice.  I decided to make my first cast along the near shoreline.  Practically the moment I closed the bail to begin working the lure back in I got a strike!   I didn’t even have to set the hook.  Fish on!  I reeled it in with ease because it was a small 5 inch Trout.  Still if was an indication of the right presentation, at the right time of night.  Then things were looking good.  Well it was a very good example.  Too good in fact.  I spent the next few hours casting, and reeling in fish.  Unfortunately they were all similar to the first one I caught.  Too small to put up a fight.  One thing is for sure.  The Humber River will have a healthy run of Trout for years to come.  I’ve never pulled more than 2 or 3 fish out of this section of the Humber before.  I caught over 6 small Trout in less than 3 hours.

What would have made the night complete was just one fish worth photographing.  Still I’ve had those days where you catch absolutely squat.  So I’m not going to complain.  What I will take away from this is that Fishing the Humber at night is a great idea.  If you live in Toronto, and find yourself with a sleepless night.  Grab a Pole, and head out to the Humber.  You won’t be disappointed.