First, the news, for those who haven’t heard it: OPEN Sports is apparently no longer operating. Navigating to OpenSports.com will deliver you to a Network Solutions “under construction” page. Attempting to visit FantasyLive.com, which OPEN Sports rolled out for the start of football season, won’t take you anywhere.

Many of our readers are probably already aware of this development, and we have been as well since last month. Frankly, there are two reasons that FSB.com has not mentioned the change at OPEN before now:

1) At the time we found out, it appeared that the situation had reached this point long enough prior that many within the fantasy sports industry knew. It seemed like one of those things that we failed to notice in the crunch of football season.

2) We haven’t been able to track down any specific information on what transpired.

OPEN Sports drew immediate attention because it was created by Sportsline founder Mike Levy. It further made a splash by landing a deal to provide fantasy games for FOXSports.com.

FSB.com has yet to inquire with FOX about its plans for 2011 fantasy baseball, and a message on the site’s landing page for that game (as of Sunday night) says: “We are currently preparing FOX Fantasy Baseball for the 2011 season. Please check back in mid-February to join or create a league.”

This update comes as a result of the trickle of e-mails we’ve been receiving over the past month as more fantasy folks become aware of the OPEN situation. We’ll share any further information that might become available.

A roundup of items recently posted on the FSB News page.

– NFL.com’s Michael Fabiano sat down this week with fantasy football MVP Arian Foster. Spoiler alert: He didn’t pass along the hug that so many of us would like to give.

– John Haskell described in a recent interview with DraftSharks.com’s Jared Smola the agony created by having to wait for the delayed Vikings-Eagles tilt to deliver him $100,000.

– A couple of interesting things going on over at Fantazzle.com this weekend: For starters, as fantasy NASCAR options dwindle, Fantazzle opens its racing season with Sunday’s Daytona 500. And for fantasy basketball fans — or anyone looking for a reason to be interested in the all-star game — there’s an NBA fantasy game that combines the Sunday showcase with elements of the skills competition.

– Razzball.com is on the lookout for football writers.

– LestersLegends.com will take a look at you whether your game is football, baseball, basketball or the NFL draft. (Take that hockey and soccer BS elsewhere, though.)

Send all of your news, job postings, stories and profile ideas to matt.schauf@worldfantasygames.com. Follow us on Twitter (FSBcom).

A roundup of items recently posted on the FSB News page.

– Apparently all caught up in the excitement of the Jordy Nelson Era dawning, FX announced the day after Super Bowl Sunday that it will be picking up The League for a third season.

– Yahoo! opened the doors on fantasy baseball Tuesday, with Andy Behrens focusing on some new features for dynasty leaguers.

– Regardless of your feeling about Strat-O-Matic’s role in the creation of fantasy baseball, there’s no denying that it helped breed many a current stathead from young-geek seedling. This year marks the 50-year anniversary of the game’s creation, kicked off by a free event in New York City on Feb. 12.

– A panel of eight folks who act as fantasy football writers for assorted local Examiner.com outlets combined to vote Arian Foster the 2010 fantasy MVP, Michael Vick the “Biggest Surprise” and Randy Moss the “Biggest Disappointment.” (Wild guess: Moss reacted with a shrug and a scowl.)

Send all of your news, job postings, stories and profile ideas to matt.schauf@worldfantasygames.com. Follow us on Twitter (FSBcom).

The Packers and Steelers weren’t the only folks who had to win their way to Dallas this weekend.

Navy intelligence specialist JT Freels topped a fantasy football field of fellow military folks to win a trip there courtesy of MWRFantasySports.com.

Freels grabbed a lead shortly after the playoff portion of the RapidDraft.com-powered contest started and managed to hold on despite Peyton Hillis’ end-of-season drought.

“I had a huge Week 12, which vaulted me to first, and I was fortunate to hold on,” Freels said of his squad that ranked 37th heading into Week 12. “My point total dropped each playoff week, and I knew if another team had a huge week they could pass me.”

Fortunately for Freels, no team did, although he couldn’t rest easy until the Eagles-Vikings Tuesday night affair of Week 16 got to halftime. With a 30-point lead on his nearest competitor and Michael Vick and Percy Harvin to that team’s DeSean Jackson, he could finally relax and start making mental plans for North Texas.

Freels took his wife and 14-year-old son with him to enjoy the Super Bowl week festivities, which the Chargers fan called a “once in a lifetime” experience.

“We plan on taking in as much a possible, VIP tour of Cowboy Stadium, NFL experience, JFK Museum, Coors Light Party and I’m sure we’ll add to this,” he said before arriving in big D.

Although his job keeps him too busy to allow for much more fantasy competition these days, Freels said he’d love to expand his participation after retirement. As for next season alone, he says he’ll take Arian Foster at the top of the draft board — which shouldn’t surprise based on the help the Texans back lent to his 2010 title run.