Tim Smith of the New York Daily News sounds off on the Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao fight Saturday night:

For De La Hoya, a businessman who now masquerades as a boxer, this is a business deal more than a competitive match. De La Hoya is the top boxer in his franchise, which is top-heavy in older, high mileage models - Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley, Winky Wright (who has not fought in more than a year). De La Hoya needs to keep active to keep the sponsorship wheels greased and add a spark of star power to the franchise.

All the parties involved, including Roach, have worked hard to sell Pacquiao as a legitimate threat. Once the fighters step into the ring, physics will dictate what happens. It will be competitive only if De La Hoya allows it to be or if he is so far gone that he can't blunt the charge of Pacquiao, who has never withstood the force of a punch from a welterweight (or middleweight by the time De La Hoya gets into the ring).

I have to give De La Hoya credit for one thing: he is facing a no-win situation. If he doesn't drill Pacquiao, then he is farther gone than anybody in boxing realizes. And if he loses to Pacquiao, then nothing in the P.T. Barnum playbook will be able to help him bring people back to the tent for those multi-million dollar paydays.

Check out the archived LIVE Fantasy Blog from Thursday night during the Raiders vs. Chargers' game...

Did you miss this week's Fantasy Playbook as I go on with Lance McAlister on 1530 Homer the Sports Animal? Either way here's my notes from the show...

FIVE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR FANTASY PLAYOFFS
1. Pay close attention to the weather – December weather can be brutal, particularly with kickers and quarterbacks. At the same time it could help defenses and running backs. If you ignore it on game day chances are it’s going to burn you.

2. Handcuff your top players w/backups – Now that bye weeks are over, your bench isn’t as important as before. However, with games now be played every Thursday and soon on Saturdays too it’s not a bad idea to handcuff your better players with their backups, just in case something comes down to a game-time decision.

3. Know division winners (who will clinch early) – This holds true especially for those leagues that still are playing their championship games in Week 17, which I highly recommend against. The Giants and Titans are just two teams that are enjoying large leads and could easily decide to sit some of their star players down the stretch.

4. Watch the waiver wire like a hawk – Every year there is a player or two that emerges from nowhere to be a fantasy playoff star. Also, you will have disgruntled owners dumping players after they fall out. Being the first one to jump on these players could be the difference between winning and losing.

5. Go with match-ups over star status – Fantasy owners have a tough time sitting their high draft picks even when the match-up says otherwise. That might work in the regular season, but in the playoffs there are no second chances. I go for the player that I think has the best chance to score points.


FAVORABLE/UNFAVORABLE PLAYOFF SCHEDULES
Quarterbacks
--EASIEST –  Kansas City (@Den, SD, Mia); Next up – Buffalo and San Francisco
--TOUGHEST – Dallas (@Pit, NyG, Bal); Next up – Pittsburgh and Houston

Running Backs
--EASIEST – Indianapolis (Cin, Det, @Jax); Next up – San Diego and Atlanta
--TOUGHEST –  Dallas (@Pit, NyG, Bal); Next up – Baltimore and Pittsburgh

Wide Receivers
--EASIEST – St. Louis (@Ari, Sea, SF); Next up – NY Jets and Minnesota
--TOUGHEST – Houston (@GB, Ten, @Oak); Next up – Cincinnati and Pittsburgh


WEEK 14 VALUE PACK
QB – Matt Cassell (@Sea): After throwing for 400+ yards in back-to-back games in the previous two weeks, he was limited to 169 yards, 0 TD’s and four turnovers last week vs. the Steelers. Look for a big bounce back this week as the Pats face a Seahawks’ D that is ranked 30th against the pass over the past month.

RB – Peyton Hillis (vs. KC): He has improved his yardage total in each of the last four weeks while scoring four times in his last four games and this week he faces Kansas City and they are allowing 31.3 fantasy points per game to running backs.

WR – Lee Evans (vs. Mia): Consider that 16 of his 32 career TDs have come in the month of December and that he’s facing a Dolphins’ team that he’s scored eight times in eight games against and Evans is getting in my lineup this week.

TE – Zach Miller (@SD): No team gives up more fantasy points to tight ends than the Chargers and Miller is actually finding ways to be productive in the Oakland passing game. He should have a nice game on Thursday night.

DEF – Colts (vs. Cin): Coming off a huge effort last week, the Colts make a nice play again this week as they face a Bengals' offense that mustered just six first downs last week. Go with Indy again here!

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