Who will wear Green on Sunday? The Masters Preview

By Matt Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The field at the 2009 Masters is so deep with talented golfers it makes it hard to predict a winner. With that said, here are the top ten players that I believe will be in the hunt come Sunday afternoon.

10. Trevor Immelman, the defending champion has been quiet this year but his play looks encouraging through the Florida swing.

9. Sean O'Hair has the length to neuralize August National, and he's had a week to get over that heartbreaking choke job at Bay Hill.

8. Mike Weir, 2003 Winner, has had a slow start to 2009 but Augusta seems to bring out the Canadians best game.

7. If Vijay Singh's, 2000 Champ, back is healthy he has a good chance to win another Masters.

6. Rory McIlroy, the 19 year old phenom, won on the European Tour this year but to expect the teenager to slip into a Green Jacket in his first visit is a bit of a stretch.

5. Zach Johnson, 2007 Masters Champion, knows what it takes to win at Augusta and he's playing really well this year. Don't be suprised to see him near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday.

4. Phil Mickelson, 2004 and 2006 Masters Winner, has won two events this season. Mickelson recently regained the No. 2 spot in the world, but will "Lefty" implode in another Major?

3. Geoff Ogilvy has a major league game and two wins under his belt this year. The former U.S. Open Champ should contend.

2. Padraig Harrington, thanks to Tiger, is not the top story coming into The Masters; even as he attempts the third leg of the Paddy Slam (Harrington has won the last two Majors). Although, so far this year he's been sub-par.

1. From Tiger Woods', Masters Champ in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, full rookie season in 1997 through 2008, Tiger has been victorious in one out every three Majors he's competed in and only missed the cut once, The 2006 U.S. Open.

Tiger's Major Results

Since 2005 Tiger has won six out the twelve Majors he's played in, that's before his recent knee surgery to correct his ailing limb. Now that his knee is better than ever, which he proved at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, if I were a betting man and the choice was Tiger or the field, I'd go with Tiger. But, let's see what pans out over the next four days..

Thug City: The Bengals just never learn

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

How is Marvin Lewis still the HC of the Cincinnati Bengals? He and the Bengals owners and front office staff have not learned their lesson.  I really think they're making a run at the next generation Oakland Raiders.  Amazingly, the Cincinnati Bengals have announced the signing of Tank Johnson.  I wasn't able to get a quote from Tank, but I am sure he's ready to come in with all guns blazing at the start of training camp.  The Bengals continue to astound me by signing and drafting thugs, morons, drug addicts, wife beaters and ne'er do wells.  

Tank Johnson can now be added to the list of Chris Henry, Chad Johnson, Odell Thurman and Cedric Benson to have donned the Orange and Black over the past several years.  I am not sure people around New England understand how spoiled we are.  While they Patriots have added players with sketchy histories the past few years, they have been able to "reform" the likes of Randy Moss and former Bengal Corey Dillon.  They also perform the due diligence to draft character players in the first place.  

This is just one more reason the Cincinnati Bungles are the laughing stock of professional sports and the worst franchise in the NFL.  

Update: Bengals cornerback Leon Hall was just booked with a DUI.

C's don't need Garnett ... not right now

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Someone please give Kevin Garnett a nice fluffy pillow for his head.

See, I want him to get as much rest as possible. 

With Garnett's knee injury, it seemed like everything was OK when he returned after a 13-game absence.

Garnett wasn't effective anyway, trying to work his way back into game shape. He didn't play more than 17:51 in any of those games, and he scored 10-10-12-4 points.

Something must not have been right if the Celtics decided to pull the plug on KG's comeback -- he's missed the last four games. Or they thought rest was the best recipe.

But I'm not really concerned about it. All indications are the C's are playing it smart with KG -- maybe he'll get some game action in the Celtics' final five games before the playoffs (The C's host the Nets tonight at 7:30 p.m.)? 

But that doesn't even bother me.

I'd rather have a rusty KG in the playoffs that didn't play in those final 5 games, than a KG who came back and tweaked his knee and then his playoff status is up in the air.

The C's have more to lose than to gain by inserting KC into the lineup right now.

In the Eastern Conference, the C's are 4 games behind Cleveland for the top spot, and face it they're not catching Lebron James and the Cavs. But they only have a one-game lead over Orlando for the No. 2 seed.

So the question is: Are the C's more concerned about holding down the No. 2 seed or trying to repeat at World Champions?

Easy call here in my book. Big deal, even if the C's lose ground and have to settle for the No. 3 seed, a healthier KG gives them a better chance to make a postseason run and repeat. The C's can't win it all without him. Kedrick Perkins, Leon Powe and Glen "Big Baby" Davis have been great, and their increased playing time is only going to help in the postseason, but they don't score or defense like KG does.

Who really cares about seedings? Home court, blah, blah, blah. I'll take health over seeding any day. This isn't a inexperienced team that's going to wet their shorts because they've got to play a Game 7 on the road.

Keep on resting KG, and we'll see you in the playoffs.

Do you feel twenty years younger?

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I am sorry, but I just couldn't resist.  I have been a big Ken Griffey Jr. fan since he broke into the bigs.  We've had some ups and downs over the years, but there's something about seeing him back in a Mariners uniform that makes me feel like a pre-teen again.  

When I turned on the MLB Network last night, I absolutely love that channel, to watch some highlights, I was immediately thrilled to see Griffey's blast off Francisco Liriano. Even now, I can't believe it's been a decade since his last game in Seattle.  It doesn't matter to me that he'll spend the majority of his time in either right field or on the bench as the DH.  I love to watch this man play the game of baseball.  The sweet swing still remains as well as that youthful smile.  Personally, I'd love to see him at DH all season and see the numbers he can put up.  I wouldn't be surprised with a .270, 30HR, 1o0 RBI season.  Would you?  Of course I'd be more surprised if he played 150 games.  

Either way, welcome back #24.  I can't wait until the 4th of July weekend so I can go watch him in Fenway.  Junior, just do me one favor.  Please be healthy to play that weekend.

I am the smartest man alive!

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Don't worry everyone, I am not the least bit serious.  I am also not lucky.  I just happened to choose the overwhelming favorite to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.  Yes, the Tarheels are national champs, and I am slightly happy that I picked the winner.  They were dominant throughout the tourney, and averaged just slightly over a 20 point margin per win.  Amazing.  

I'll be glad to see Tyler Hansborough head off to be a mediocre player in the NBA.  Have you ever seen anyone who spends more time with that stupid, wide eyed look than him?  

By the way, Chad (our resident NCAA Men's bball guru) picked Louisville to win it all.  How'd that work out for you, but I digress.  I may have picked UNC to win it all, but I didn't even win our bracket challenge.  I came in 2nd, once again, and still haven't won an NCAA bracket in my life.  To be perfectly honest, I watched a grand total of 5 seconds of the title game.  Since it was opening day in baseball, my interest was elsewhere.

Well, I guess FFS will sign off on the College Basketball season for now.  

If there's anything you think we should be covering, please let us know.  

Fantasy Baseball: Don't even think about hitting the panic button just yet

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

So some of your pitchers just didn't live up to the preaseason hype on Opening Day?

Yes, we all would love to see better starts in the opener from our aces that we own, but it just didn't work out for a few top-of-the-line arms that haven't yet justified an early pick in the draft. 

The FFS staff's choice for Cy Young -- CC Sabathia -- sure didn't earn a penny of his hefty paycheck yesterday against the Orioles. Sabathia (4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 0 K) missed location, serving up several cookies, fell behind in counts and was wild ... not what we saw from his late last season. His pitching line was putrid just like his current ERA of 12.46, but he's throwing just like he did early last season when everyone was thinking he was washed up. Remember, Sabathia was 1-4 in his first six starts with a 7.88 ERA, but finished 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA.

Sabathia will be just fine, don't panic yet. Better starts are around the corner. Or if it's like last year, the month of May will be far better than April.

Arizona's Brandon Webb (4 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR allowed) also was shelled, another surprise on Opening Day. Webb fizzled down the stretch last season, which cost him the NL Cy Young, so his lackluster start is potentially concerning. Webb could bounce back and be just fine, but you never know. Yes, he's got a proven track record in winning games, but could this be a new trend? Let's hope not or my NL Only team is going right down the toilet bowl. I think he was a second-round pick in a 10-team league. Yikes, but I'm not ready to hit the panic button yet. Yet, being the key word with him, though.

Even Mr. Complete Game, Roy Halladay (7 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, BB, 2 K, 2 HR allowed), wasn't spectacular but at least he won. 

Say what you want about early-season starts. Yes, it hurts your team now, but last I checked no one gets a trophy for leading on Opening Day. The Major League Baseball season is a grind with plenty of ups and downs. Some of the these aces are on a downer and so are their owners, but don't pack in the season and have a fire sale in April.

Give everyone some time to work their way into form. I like to give my players at least a month, I feel that's sufficient enough time to access their performance. If they are completely killing me in categories, then it's time to say see-ya, wouldn't-want-to-be-ya.

It ticks us all off that guys like Joe Saunders, Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Guthrie and Hiroki Kuroda all outshined the aces mentioned above, but who would you rather have over 30-plus starts? No-brainer, right?

Put the revolver down, ride it out for a while. Your preseason hype players can just as easily turn it around, and you don't want to be the guy that drops Sabathia, Webb or Halladay. Then, they'll all be laughing at you.

The Three Amigos Ride Again at NCAA Hockey Regionals

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

This is about a week old, but I wanted to post the picture of Josh (left), Chad (center) and myself (right) from the NCAA Hockey Regional in Manchester, NH.  Chad and I got to a local establishment a little before 1 pm, so we obviously had a fun time.  Man does my face look fat in that picture!  

Check back on Thursday morning for my Frozen Four preview.

Go BU!