Commentary

Cantrell gets some breathing room

Updated: November 24, 2011, 3:24 AM ET
By Jim Wilkie | ESPN.com

Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell narrowly defeated former Queensryche guitarist Chris DeGarmo last week to pad his lead in the Alice in Chains & Friends Fantasy Football Charity League with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Alice in Chains FFL charities

Each member of the Alice in Chains & Friends Fantasy Football Charity League will put a valuable item up for auction. After the season, the net proceeds from the auction will go to the league champion's chosen charity. Here are the charities each member of the AIC&FFFCL is playing for this season:

Jerry Cantrell
Charity: MusiCares

William DuVall
Charity: Boys And Girls Clubs of America

Vinnie Paul
Charity: Little Kids Rock

Randy Wolf
Charity: Ronald McDonald House of Milwaukee

Ann Wilson
Charity: Boys And Girls Clubs of America

Sean Kinney
Charity: American Diabetes Association

Duff McKagan
Charity: Ronald McDonald House

Chris DeGarmo
Charity: Make a Wish

Mike Inez
Charity: The Gentle Barn

Jay Ferguson
Charity: The Little Baby Face Foundation

Cantrell's Aroma Of Tacoma (8-3) got decent production from 49ers QB Alex Smith (17 points), Raiders RB Michael Bush (16) and Falcons RB Michael Turner (14) to beat DeGarmo's Mach Six's (6-5) 84-82. The league's organizer was thankful DeGarmo's running back LeSean McCoy of the Eagles didn't get any touchdowns or more than the 113 yards rushing against the Giants, as he posted the following comment on the league message board (click the link to see the photo):

Close Call
Posted: Nov 21, 7:20 p.m.
Jerry Cantrell
Aroma Of Tacoma

Wheew!!!!! A few more yards from McCoy and Captain DeGarmo would've sent the Aroma to the turf in a ball of flame. Go have a highball, Dean. Ya done good.

After the Aroma, all the other teams are separated by just two games after former cellar-dwellers Team McKagan (5-6) and Annie's Dogs (5-6) have climbed into the thick of the playoff race with five-game and three-game winning streaks, respectively.

Don't look now …
Posted: Nov 21, 12:17 p.m.
Ann Wilson
Annie's Dogs

… But the Dogs are gnashing at your heels.

Re: Don't look now …
Posted: Nov 21, 2:12 p.m.
Jerry Cantrell
Aroma Of Tacoma

Ann's creeping up the ranks.

Each participant will put one valuable item up for auction by the end of the season. The league champion will get to designate which charity receives the net proceeds of the auction. More details on the auction will be announced in the coming weeks.

Weekly updates on the Alice in Chains & Friends Fantasy Football Charity League, trash talk and interviews with the owners will be published in ESPN.com's The Life and Music sections throughout the season. Members of the league also will drop by for occasional chats on SportsNation.

Here is a look at Week 12's matchups and last week's results:

Alice in Chains & Friends Fantasy Football Charity League overall standings

Rk Player Team W L T PF PA GB
1.Jerry Cantrell Aroma of Tacoma 8 3 0 1,022 961 --

Jerry Cantrell

Last week: Defeated Mach Six's 84-82 Next up: Team DuVall (5-6)
Aroma Of Tacoma picked up Ravens QB Joe Flacco and Browns RB Chris Ogbonnaya and dumped 49ers QB Alex Smith and Texans TE Owen Daniels. But will Eagles QB Michael Vick's questionable status against the Patriots cause Cantrell to turn to Flacco against the Niners?

2. Chris DeGarmo Mach Six's 6 5 0 1,135 983 2

Chris DeGarmo

Last week: Lost 84-82 to Aroma Of Tacoma Next up: Team McKagan (5-6)
Even after last week's loss, Mach Six's still lead the league in scoring. The ESPN fantasy computers have this as the closest matchup with Mach Six's listed as seven-point favorites over Team McKagan but both sides holding an edge in four categories apiece with one push.
3. Sean Kinney Team Nosering 6 5 0 983 1,039 2

Sean Kinney

Last week: Lost 107-80 to Dallas' Best Next up: The Brickwall Paul (6-5)
Team Nosering are 12-point underdogs even though the ESPN fantasy computers give them the edge in five of the nine categories. Kinney's squad is banged up at receiver with New England's Wes Welker and Minnesota's Percy Harvin both listed as questionable.
4. Vinnie PaulThe Brickwall Paul 6 5 0 982 941 2

Vinnie Paul

Last week: Lost 124-86 to Annie's Dogs Next up: Team Nosering (6-5)
Despite last week's outburst by Annie's Dogs, The Brickwall Paul have allowed the fewest points in the league this season. Paul added Packers RB Ryan Grant and dropped Chiefs RB Jackie Battle.
5. William DuVall Team DuVall 5 6 0 1,092 1,069 3

William DuVall

Last week: Defeated Your Real Dad Al Davis 92-80 Next up: Aroma Of Tacoma (7-3)
Team DuVall rank second in points scored, but unfortunately for them they have had the most points scored against this season. DuVall picked up Bills RB C.J. Spiller and Jets RB Joe McKnight and dropped Titans WR Damian Williams and Cowboys RB Felix Jones.
6. Ann WilsonAnnie's Dogs 5 6 0 990 1,012 3

Ann Wilson

Last week: Defeated The Brickwall Paul 124-86 Next up: Your Real Dad Al Davis (5-6)
Annie's Dogs make a big leap from ninth to sixth place and they're looking to stay on a roll against the last-place Your Real Dad Al Davis. Wilson claimed Lions RB Kevin Smith and dumped the Browns D.
7. Jay FergusonDallas' Best 5 6 0 988 1.015 3

Jay Ferguson

Last week: Defeated Team Nosering 107-80 Next up: Team Valley Trash (5-6)
Ferguson has Saints QB Drew Brees vs. the Giants, Falcons QB Matt Ryan against the Vikings and Panthers QB Cam Newton to choose from and so far he has Newton, the second-ranked QB who's facing the winless Colts, penciled in as his starter.

8. Randy Wolf Team Valley Trash 5 6 0 916 985 3

Randy Wolf

Last week: Lost 82-55 to Team McKagan Next up: Dallas' Best (5-6)
Team Valley Trash are huge 54-point underdogs, the biggest spread of the week. Wolf could use one of Ferguson's quarterbacks because Team Valley Trash only has the 20th-ranked Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Bills on his roster (plus Chiefs QB Matt Cassel who is out for the season). Team Valley Trash have made the fewest pickups this season (five).

9. Duff McKaganTeam McKagan 5 6 0 911 988 3

Duff McKagan

Last week: Defeated Team Valley Trash 82-55 Next up: Mach Six's (6-5)

With Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger listed as questionable against the Chiefs, Team McKagan has Giants QB Eli Manning vs. the Saints as his starter for now. McKagan claimed Vikings RB Toby Gerhart and dropped Broncos RB Lance Ball.

10. Mike Inez Your Real Dad Al Davis 4 7 0 1,012 1,038 4

Mike Inez

Last week: Lost 92-80 to Team DuVall Next up: Annie's Dogs (5-6)
Your Real Dad Al Davis are 14-point underdogs and favored in just three categories this week. Inez finally got some good news this week with Texans WR Andre Johnson improving to probable status. He added Texans K Neil Rackers and the Saints D and dropped Bears QB Jay Cutler and the Titans D.

  • William DuVall
    Place of birth: Washington, D.C. Age: 44 Fantasy football experience: Rookie Favorite team: 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers

    Personal: Joined Alice in Chains as its full-time lead singer in 2007, contributing to its 2009 comeback album, "Black Gives Way To Blue." DuVall previously had been in Comes With The Fall and recently produced MonstrO's debut album.

  • Jerry Cantrell
    Place of birth: Tacoma, Wash. Age: 45 Fantasy football experience: 7 years Favorite team: Seattle Seahawks/Pittsburgh Steelers

    Personal: Lead guitarist Cantrell's legacy with Alice in Chains includes 35 million albums sold worldwide, 21 Top 40 singles and eight Grammy nominations.

  • Randy Wolf
    Place of birth: Age: 35

    Personal: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher who has also played for the Phillies, Dodgers, Padres and Astros.

  • Vinnie Paul
    Place of birth: Abilene, Texas Age: 47 Fantasy football experience: 12 years Favorite team: Dallas Cowboys

    Personal: Paul, who formed Pantera with his late brother Dimebag Darrell, plays drums for Hellyeah the way Ray Lewis hits people. In other words, hard.

  • Chris DeGarmo
    Place of birth: Wenatchee, Wash. Age: 48

    Personal: DeGarmo is a co-founder of heavy metal band Queensryche, for whom he was lead guitarist. He is now a professional pilot.

  • Ann Wilson
    Place of birth: San DiegoAge: 61 Fantasy football experience:: Rookie Favorite team: New Orleans Saints

    Personal: Lead singer of Heart, the pioneering female hard rock band that has sold more than 30 million records.

  • Sean Kinney
    Place of birth: Renton, Wash. Age: 45 Fantasy football experience: Rookie Favorite team: Seattle Seahawks

    Personal: Kinney, who has been playing drums since he was 5, has been the only drummer for Alice in Chains and he has also played with the likes of Johnny Cash, Krist Novoselic and Kim Thayil.

  • Duff McKagan
    Place of birth: Seattle Age: 47 Fantasy football experience: 2 years Favorite team: Seattle Seahawks

    Personal: Before playing bass for Velvet Revolver, McKagan spent 13 years with Guns N' Roses. The lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Loaded, McKagan began writing a sports column for ESPN Music in 2011.

  • Mike Inez
    Place of birth: San Fernando, Calif. Age: 45 Fantasy football experience: 8 years Favorite team: Oakland Raiders

    Personal: Before playing bass guitar for Alice in Chains, Inez was rocking arenas with Ozzy Osbourne.

  • Jay Ferguson
    Place of birth: Dallas Age: 37 Fantasy football experience: 6 years Favorite team: Dallas Cowboys

    Personal: Ferguson portrays Stan Rizzo on AMC's "Mad Men," and his other TV credits include "Burn Notice," "Judging Amy" and "Evening Shade."

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