Don’ts and Dos of Trading

The Counselor is IN:

1) Don’t ignore the needs of your team to make your team better for the second half of the season.

2) Do seek out appropriate trading partners to meet your trading needs.

3) Don’t make half thought out trades.

4) Do your research about the players you are looking to trade and receive. Also know if this will be a short term trade or one for the future if you are in a keeper/dynasty league. Feel free to ask the Counselor about your trades.

5) Don’t attempt to rob unsuspecting teams of their stud players.

6) Do your best to make balanced trade proposals which will help both teams. This not only helps both teams now but will help you with any future trades in this same league. If they trust you to make good trades, other owners will be much more likely to trade for you.

7) Don’t trade away all your good players for nothing if you are out of the playoffs.

8) Do trade away your best players in a keeper/dynasty league if it can make your team better for next year such as trading players at the end of their fantasy contracts with you.

9) Don’t buy into the player of the week hype to trade for.

10) Do look for a consistent player to trade for.

11) Don’t make a bad trade just for trade sake.

12) Do use caution in your trades. It is better to have no trade and stay the course than make the trade that kills your team.

The Counselor is OUT:

Cassel: Chiefs' Royalty or Jester?

The Counselor is IN:

Last year QB Matt Cassel made the most out of his opportunities when Brady went down for the season. He was rewarded with a big contract this off season in the form of the franchise tag. The Kansas City Chiefs, being led by former Patriot Director and new GM Pioli, traded away the 34th pick in the draft for Cassel and Vrabel.

No one in Missouri is surprised by this trade. There have been rumors of a trade for Matt since Scott Pioli's name was mentioned with the GM job. Just the thought of Cassel landing in Kansas City has their fans buzzing with excitement.

This move has essentially benched QB Tyler Thigpen, who was playing fairly well at the end of the season. Thigpen was a decent fantasy starter in the last half of the 2008 fantasy football season. Matt Cassel had not started a game since high school at the time he took over for the injured Brady but he had a sensational season when given the opportunity.

The Chiefs fans are hoping that Cassel is really the football stud that he appeared to be last year. They have penned all of their hopes for the future on this young man. Many Kansas City fan believe that he can lead them to the promise land of a Super Bowl.

I am wondering if Cassel is as good as he looked last year for the Patriots or if he was just a product of the Patriots system. Why did he not start one game in College if he is really this good? I believe Matt will soon realize that life will be different playing for the Chiefs rather than the Patriots. The Patriots are a top tier team with an offensive line that can protect their quarterback. The Chiefs' O-Line has been in flux and has their share of challenges for this next year.

At this point, I do not know if Cassel will be Kansas City Royalty and the stud they believe he will be or if he was only a product of the Patriots and becomes yet another court jester that has stepped behind center for the Chiefs.

The Counselor is OUT: