Sports
Now! Main Page (Index) | Contact us
This page has been visited times since July 15th,
1997
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free
Home Page
Sports Now! Main Page (Index) | Contact us Sports Now!The ULTIMATE Sports Page for the REAL Fan! |
Soccer News ESPN |
Fantasy Football '97 ESPN's
Global Football League Week 5 Previews - Saturday, September 27th After a great Week 4 of Fantasy Football action, especially good for the close games and amazing finishes, owners prepare for another bye week in the NFL and in Global Football League (GFL). This week's games feature the top six teams, three in each conference, facing each other. Can the Meanies keep their isolated first place position in the East? Or will the Big Passaros end their struggle and show that offense of weeks 1 and 2? In the West, the showdown is between two 3-1 teams, as the Boyz face the Lizards for the lead in the division. Let's check this week's games: New London Wacker Boyz II (3-1) vs. The Lounge Lizards (3-1) (NFL Bye teams on Week 5: Buffalo, Indianapolis, Miami, New England)
New London Wacker Boyz II (3-1) vs. The Lounge Lizards (3-1) This game is certainly the game of the week, as both teams are tied for first place in the West at 3-1, and both are coming off good victories against some tough teams last week. The Lounge Lizards defeated the Sao Paulo Travelers in Week 4, rendering them their first loss of the season. They have an offense centered on QB Jeff George and, of course, the mighty "Run 'n' Run", the new 3-RB lineup, called by some as the offense of FF future. You need three good backs to make it work, and the Lizards appear to have them. WR Irving Fryar will probably start at the solo wideout position, as he comes back from a bye week, and from some hard time from his coach about a sub-par performance on Monday Night of Week 3, costing the Lizards a possible win and a 4-0 record. Problem for the Lizards? The Patriots Defense, the #1 ranked in GFL, has a bye... The New London Wacker Boyz II also comes from a win over a Sao Paulo team, the Big Passaros. They struggled a bit last week, but they have a very good offense, and a surpise solid backup at QB, Trent Dilfer. Their problem might seem to be at the kicker spot, as Raider kicker Cole Ford had an horrible game last week. They have a reliable Al Del Greco at the backup postion, but it'll probably be a game time decision for coach Edward Haggerty, as changing kickers might hurt their confidence! Or, as Murphy's law says, the one you bench will always play better.
Sao Paulo Travelers (3-1) vs. Crown City Thorns (2-2) The Sao Paulo Travelers appeared to be headed to a 4-0 record, until a late come from behind effort by the Lizards put them at 3-1 with a 2-point diference defeat. The Crown City Thorns got crushed by the Rainbows in a loss by 30 points. So, both teams will try to rebound this week, as two losses in a row is a not so good "streak". The Travelers are very fortunate that this week's bye will not inflige any damage for their starting spots. RB Ricky Watters is welcomed back with open arms by the coach (bye in week 4), but they'll need a good performance by the youngster, RB Eddie George, who struggled really bad last week. When asked about a decision to start kicker John Kasay (ranked #13) over Ryan Longwell (#4), coach Carlos Curro gave a very good, solid explanation: "I like to watch my players on Monday Night.". That required some coaching and studying! As for the Thorns, they are a powerful team, but they won't be able to count on RB Curtis Martin, as the Patriots have a bye. The biggest surprise coach Kevin McBreen is reserving for Sunday is the probable first start of the year (in GFL, not in the NFL) for QB Mark Brunell, who played very solid last Monday Night, in place of the unstable Scott Mitchell. They might also lost the other piece of their combo package, as WR Johnnie Morton is about to be benched. They may, however, have one other combo, as WR Keenan McCardell is a very solid backup and could start. The Thorns may not even miss Curtis Martin because of that depth in every position!
Screaming Meanies (3-1) vs. Sao Paulo Big Passaros (2-2) This battle is very important for the Eastern Divison. A win by the Sao Paulo Big Passaros can put them in a tie for first place, but a loss can make them stay two games behind the Screaming Meanies. The Passaros are in trouble. They relied almost completely in their starting QB, Drew Bledsoe. But in this week, and for this very important match, coach Luis Curro couldn't be more worried, as the Patriots have a bye. The "relief pitcher" will be Troy Aikman, who has yet to prove he can play week in, week out, in the mould of his great performance in week 1. They'll try a three-WR lineup, with the combination Aikman-Michael Irving being the key factor for the offense success. Starting a 3-RB lineup will be the Meanies, trying to secure their solo first place position in the East. They have three amazing RB's, with rookie runner sensation Warrick Dunn coming as a suprise. The problem for them might be at QB: they'll have to start veteran Warren Moon, who is not a bad QB, but can be knocked out of a game anytime. They'll miss TE Ben Coates, out in a bye.
New York Freaky Fat Cats (1-2-1) vs. Kauai Rainbows (1-3) After last week unthinkable tie with the Sabbaths, the New York Freaky Fat Cats can only hope lightning don't struck twice in their heads. But they'll face a team that, for the untrained eye, might look like easy, fresh meet at 1-3. Think again. The Kauai Rainbows have a strong lineup. They scored a whopping 86 points last week en route to their first win of the season, and they want more. With a lot of options at WR, coach Jon Scott only have to be certain to start the right players. Of course, that's easier said than done, but he appears to start WR James Jett of the Raiders, who have been superb lately, along side with always reliable WR Derrick Alexander and Denver's WR Rod Smith, who looks like he is John Elway's favorite receiver. He still has WR's Ed McCaffrey and Jermaine Lewis as options. Their single back will be New Orleans' Mario Bates, who scored an amazing 24 points last week. Can he do it again for Ditka's Saints? The Cats will probably also start 3-WR's, with the surprise being 49ers' J.J. Stokes, a promise yet to be fulfilled for the powerful niners. He can be a key on Monday Night. Their single back is one of the most dangerous and elusive in the game today, but Barry Sanders will facce a tough, solid Green Bay Packers defense - which, by the way, is also the Cats D.
Da Kine Hawaiian (1-3) vs. Bloody Sabbaths (0-3-1) The only team that has yet to win in GFL is the Bloody Sabbaths, who could very well be 0-4 instead of 0-3-1, if it wasn't for the amazingly, unexpected great last second effort by the Jaguars defense. The Da Kine Hawaiian hopes that QB Steve Young continues to improve week after week, and that the bus, RB Jerome Bettis, meets the end zone with a few more frequency. But they need some support from Herman Moore and upcoming FB Mike Alstott, along with their #1 ranked TE Wesley Walls. They'll miss kicker Olindo Mare (bye), as Scott Blanton come as an unproven substitute. If coach Joe Sidoti mantains RB Terry Kirby in the lineup, it'll be another "Run 'n' Run" team in this week. The Sabbaths came tired of QB Tony Banks erratics and fumbles, so we might not see him again this season in the Sabbaths lineup. QB Kordell Stewart is young, but he showed some flashes of brilliance this year. Yet, he has still to play more consistently if he wants to become a true QB. Backfield is not a problem for the Sabbaths, as they have two impressive back in Dallas' Emmitt Smith and Oakland's Napoleon Kaufman. But, their wideouts have to show some more production, as Michael Westbrook and Andre Rison are playing well, but not finding the endzone that much. K Richie Cunningham is as good a player as you can get.
--- Carlos Curro's picks (awful 1-4 last week, 6-9 total): New London Wacker Boyz II over The Lounge Lizards (65-58)
|
Sports
Now! Main Page (Index) | Contact us This page hosted by |