Blackhawks Have Had a Great Season So Far, Says Reporter

A really great season.

Fantasy Golf Buy, Sell or Hold for Deutsche Bank Championship

The cuts have begun and we are now down to the top-100 in the FedExCup points as we head to the TPC of Boston.  The course escaped any major damage from Hurricane Irene and officials say final preparations won't take that long as the week begins.

With his win, Dustin Johnson now sits atop the points standings and Matt Kuchar resides in second.

Here is this week's buy, sell and hold.


Buy

Matt Kuchar (A) - He wants that top spot in the FedExCup points standings.

Luke Donald (A) - He finished in a T-2 here last year.

Steve Stricker (B) - Hasn't missed a cut so far in 2011, finished 9th here last year.

John Senden (B) - Is about due for a top finish or a win.  Had an 8th place finish here in 2010.

Vijay Singh (B) - Playing well in the playoffs.

Charl Schwartzel (B) - The Masters champ is back.  He hasn't played since a decent result at the PGA.

Sergio Garcia (C) - Had a good PGA, but nothing spectacular at The Barclays.  Should rebound this week.

Jason Day (C) - A bunch of good results the second half of 2011 has put Day in good position.



Sell

Graeme McDowell (A) - He's having a bit of a down 2011 for a play that hits the ball as well as he does.

Sean O'Hair (B) - No reason to take Sean this week.

Chris Couch (C) - Hasn't played well in his last two events.  No reason to take him this week.


Hold

Keegan Bradley (C) - Should you take Keegan Bradley at a tournament in Boston?  Up to you to decide.

Fantasy Golf Buy, Sell, or Hold for The Barclays

The playoffs begin this week and a strong field heads to New Jersey for a very important event, The Barclays.  In a few weeks the PGA will crown this year's winner of the FedExCup.

Here is this week's buy, sell, and hold.

Buy:

Matt Kuchar (A) - It's a different course, but he used this event as a springboard last year.

Luke Donald (A) - Playing well right now, he should be a solid play this week.

Steve Stricker (B) - If you have any starts left for Stricker, use him.

Webb Simpson (B) - Is anybody playing better than Webb Simpson right now?

Davis Love III (B) - Davis might be able to snatch a win at one of these tournaments.

Rickie Fowler (B) - Fowler is primed for a good run in the playoffs.

Tommy Gainey (C) - Why not?  He's playing well.

Adam Scott (C) - With Stevie on the bag, he's playing well.  He could win this week.

Sell:

Padraig Harrington (A) - Hasn't really been a threat in 2011.

Ben Crane (B) - One top-10 all year is not great.

William McGirt (C) - Just squeezed into the top-125.  Not a threat.

Hold:

Jim Furyk (A) - It hasn't been the best of years for this veteran, but he's playing better now at the end of the year.

Aaron Rodgers Has More to Prove

Replacing the most popular quarterback in franchise history might be too much for a young football player to handle.  Not for Green Bay Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers recorded his first career playoff victory as the Packers’ starting quarterback, leading some to insist that he had somehow shed a huge weight off his shoulders.

FOX sideline reporter Pam Oliver even asked Rodgers after the game about the so-called monkey. In the locker room on Tuesday Rodgers shrugged off the topic.

“Honestly I’ve never felt like there was a monkey on my back," replied Rodgers.

After posting a 122.5 passer rating and throwing three perfect  touchdown strikes against the Eagles, Rodgers finds himself at the top of the list in the NFL record books.

Adding his four-touchdown playoff effort last year against Arizona, Rodgers’ seven TD passes in his first two postseason starts are the most in NFL history. Five other QBs held the previous mark of six.
Rodgers also became the first quarterback in league history to post 120-plus passer ratings in each of his first two playoff starts.

Rodgers’ career playoff passer rating of 121.8 is tops in NFL history among players with 50 or more passes. He also ranks first in league history with a 98.4 rating in the regular season.

That is saying something in a league where a quarterback's value is determined by how many playoff games and then how many championships they win.  Rodgers now has one in the win column and is looking for more.

But Rodgers will be the first to admit football is a team game and it's going to take a team effort to get by the Atlanta Falcons this weekend.  The Packers are slight underdogs against the top-seeded Falcons, but I'd like my chances against any team with Aaron Rodgers leading my team.


Early Line has Packers -5.5 Over Bears

It usually doesn't get much bigger than the Packers vs. Bears, but this weekend the stakes are even higher.

It's the Packers vs. Bears with a playoff spot on the line for the Pack, and a first-round bye possible for the Bears.

Its in Green Bay, so that favors the good guys.  The Packers may be healthier now than at any time of the season so far.  The Bears are really clicking right now, on offense, defense, and special teams.  Each team is coming off a victory over a New York team. 

The early line is sitting at Packers -5.5, but that could change.  I can't see Green Bay losing this game with this much on the line.  It would be fitting to have some snow and a Packer victory.