Random Thoughts of an American Male

Although fantasy games can be a lot of fun, there’s nothing to match the excitement of last-minute, or even last-second, scores to win big games in RL football. Just ask the Ravens and Giants, both of whom won their respective games with touchdowns coming with :08 and :15 on the clock. My poor Browns scored a late touchdown against the Texans, but they were nowhere near a win.

Let’s check my results, shall we?:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (5-4) Angus’ No Stars 67, OM Rules 46
Chix & Dix League: (7-2) Stratoblasters 120.70, new orleans 124.32
Purple Pride League: (7-2) 4th And 10 171.62,  e’s raiders 117.92
Panther Power:  (7-2) Tazo Zen 168.52, She Gives Woodhead 161.30
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (5-4) The New No. 2 134.09, Jade’s Team 125.26

NFL.com

League 337126: (5-4) Ram Air 98.70, ray-ray52 83.56
League 337241: (5-4) Tazo Zen 84.0, BearsFAN 90.0

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (2-7) Lehigh Valley Genesis 72, Openacanof ???? Blue 78
Football Paradise League: (3-5) Vodka Martinis 62, MPLS itchfen 88

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (2-6) Martini Time 71.4, The Grizzlies 86.2

So I’m a combined 5-5  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 48-42 for the season.

Could be better, could be worse. I’ll take the half-full!

Despite injuries and the always-frustrating Bye Weeks, I actually made some progress this week. The same cannot be said, however, for poor Peyton Hillis, who just can’t seem to do anything right these days. The Madden Curse is real!

Let’s check my results, shall we?:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (4-4) Angus’ No Stars 76, Dundee’s Devils 55
Chix & Dix League: (7-1) Stratoblasters 261.19, wolves 122.73
Purple Pride League: (6-2) 4th And 10 204.21,  the assault 143.88
Panther Power:  (6-2) Tazo Zen 239.58, Hmongsters 93.56
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (4-4) The New No. 2 112.17, LG’s  Men of FF 88.23

NFL.com

League 337126: (4-4) Ram Air 92.70, Jake Lockouts 54.76
League 337241: (5-3) Tazo Zen 81.40, New York Beasts 52.22

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (2-6) Lehigh Valley Genesis 82 Winnersville Swag Team Baby 92
Football Paradise League: (3-5) Vodka Martinis 76, Maine PatsFan 69

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (2-5) Martini Time 77.8, Double Coverage 102.8

So I’m a combined 8-2  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 43-37 for the season.

Finally!  A good week, and I’m finally over .500! w00f!

Due to personal issues (about which I’ll post soon), this week’s update is late. So let’s get right to it, because I know you need to know.

This week’s results:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (3-4) Angus’ No Stars 37, Cassi’s Revenge 84
Chix & Dix League: (6-1) Stratoblasters 181.68, Thunder & Lightning 106.37
Purple Pride League: (5-2) 4th And 10 222.33,  Largo Fear 118.00
Panther Power:  (5-2) Tazo Zen 135.60, ChallengeThisBay-Bee 124.90
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (3-4) The New No. 2 125.10, Schmoe Buzzards 103.03

NFL.com

League 337126: (3-4) Ram Air 91.02, Nevada-PHD1 127.44
League 337241: (4-3) Tazo Zen 115.12, Stugots 2 84.04

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (2-5) Lehigh Valley Genesis 64 vegas vipers 58
Football Paradise League: (2-5) Vodka Martinis 34, Iowa Thunder 63

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (2-5) Martini Time 58.8, helm 6 153.4

So I’m a combined 5-4  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 34-35 for the season.

And now, time to hit the waiver wire. Again. *sigh*

As frustrating as bye weeks can be for a fantasy manager, there is something more insidious: injuries! It seems as though every time you get your roster just the way you want it (or at least the best you can hope for, considering the players you got saddled with in the autodraft), someone gets hurt. Sometimes it can be an inconvenience for a game or a few weeks; sometimes players get themselves really messed up and their season is over. Those expecting great things from Jason Campbell, Chad Henne  and other high-profile starters must now sift through the waiver wire, hoping to discover an overlooked gem that can help salvage their fantasy season.

Let’s see if injuries hampered my effort this week:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (3-3) Angus’ No Stars 45, Wild Hanlons 59
Chix & Dix League: (5-1) Stratoblasters 148.72, cardsallday 85.40
Purple Pride League: (4-2) 4th And 10 152.00,  Skins forever 134.76
Panther Power:  (4-2) Tazo Zen 223.28, New York Jets 204.53
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (2-4) The New No. 2 109.58, Jayus’ Jesters 122.02

NFL.com

League 337126: (3-3) Ram Air 100.10, Team DK V 89.02
League 337241: (3-3) Tazo Zen 79.22, Spartans 71.32

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (1-5) Lehigh Valley Genesis 58, It,s BEER time let’s PARTEY 63
Football Paradise League: (2-4) Vodka Martinis 62, Atomic Punks 102

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (2-4) Martini Time 119.6, STALIN’s Team 110.6

So I’m a combined 6-4  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 29-31 for the season.

And now, time to hit the waiver wire!

Bye Weeks have started! In RL, wonderful for the teams (my beloved Browns, for example, didn’t lose), but a terror for fantasy managers. Particularly in larger leagues where reliable replacements can come at a steep price, such as having to cut a decent starter to make room on your roster for the so-so running back to replace Peyton Hillis for a week.

Let’s see how the first bye week treated us:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (3-2) Angus’ No Stars 63, Jayusmagnus’ Legion 50
Chix & Dix League: (4-1) Stratoblasters 146.58, Pat’s Packers 106.54
Purple Pride League: (3-2) 4th And 10 181.74,  BONECRUSHERS 165.46
Panther Power:  (3-2) Tazo Zen 145.32, coyote ugly 187.36
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (2-3) The New No. 2 146.31, Project D 106.05

NFL.com

League 337126: (2-3) Ram Air 80.06, Rebels 88.74
League 337241: (2-3) Tazo Zen 87.04, Man of Steel 93.52

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (1-4) Lehigh Valley Genesis 102, Team Dillon 117
Football Paradise League: (2-3) Vodka Martinis 111, MPLS itchfen 56

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (1-4) Martini Time 82.5, Lost Gonzos 69.9

So I’m a combined 6-4  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 23-27 for the season.

It would be nice to be at .500 soon!

My Brownies went down in an ugly defeat at the hands of the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday. As exciting as they looked the first three weeks of the season, that’s how bad they looked against Matt Hasselbeck and company.

Would my fantasy teams fare as badly?

Let’s see how we fared:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (2-2) Angus’ No Stars 95, RoughRiders 80
Chix & Dix League: (3-1) Stratoblasters 247.40, Air it out | | 161.12
Purple Pride League: (2-2) 4th And 10 193.55,  Howlers 210.31
Panther Power:  (3-1) Tazo Zen 180.88, ALWAYS 167.85
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (1-3) The New No. 2 152.03, RimRats 94.66

NFL.com

League 337126: (2-2) Ram Air 80.64, Green Machine 131.48
League 337241: (2-2) Tazo Zen 123.34, Crucifixion 70.04

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (1-3) Lehigh Valley Genesis 70, Team Eger 34
Football Paradise League: (1-3) Vodka Martinis 71, Team minnesota 92

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (0-4) Martini Time 70.9, Andrew’s Team 121.2

So I’m a combined 6-4  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 17-23 for the season

In a week where my beloved Browns and my behated Steelers both managed to pull off the ugly win (which are still wins; by virtue of PF and PA, the Brownies are ahead of the Steelies in the AFC North), several of my fantasy teams suffered ugly losses this week.

Injuries played a part, as Foster and Hillis were last minute scratches, and Vick and Romo were both iffy (I took chances on both, much to my disappointment). My replacement choices were ill-advised, as was my decision to keep the Other Manning on the bench in favor of Michael Vick.

Let’s see how we fared:

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (1-2) Angus’ No Stars 64, RimRats 106
Chix & Dix League: (2-1) Stratoblasters 196.98, Chicago Grinders 105.55
Purple Pride League: (2-1) 4th And 10 262.34,  Nordic Nightriders  196.21
Panther Power:  (2-1) Tazo Zen 232.06, Hurricane Hurleys 170.61
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (0-3) The New No. 2 90.84, RoughRiders 153.46

NFL.com

League 337126: (2-1) Ram Air 117.52, SteelerTown 125.16
League 337241: (1-2) Tazo Zen 59.42, SEAHAWKS 142.08

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (0-3) Lehigh Valley Genesis 65, Memphis Blues 82
Football Paradise League: (1-2) Vodka Martinis 71, Team minnesota 92

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (0-3) Martini Time 96.4, John’s Team 112.7

So I’m a combined 3-7  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 11-19 for the season

Week 2 is, as they say, in the books.  I don’t know exactly what books it’s in. The history books, I suppose. Or the statistic books. Probably an accountant’s books. I can’t says what books, but Week 2 is now in there.

Who would have thought there would be so many amazing storylines in the NFL after only two weeks, not the least of which is the Baltimore Colts, usually mentioned in the same sentence as “next year’s Super Bowl”, are now being mentioned in the same sentence as “the first pick in next year’s draft” because one player is hurt. Eggs, basket? Can Peyton make it back to save their season?

As long as we’re discussing fantasies, let’s see how I fared in Week 2 of my various fantasy leagues, none of which are in the books, because they’re on the Web.

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (1-1) Angus’ No Stars 77, OM Rules 79
Chix & Dix League: (1-1) Stratoblasters 193.58, FairlyNiftyBastards 267.45
Purple Pride League: (1-1) 4th And 10 190.41,  GoldRushNiners 234.71
Panther Power:  (1-1) Tazo Zen 189.66, Patriots 1960 159.09
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (0-2) The New No. 2 111.79, So Jersey Eagles 196.70

NFL.com

League 337126: (2-0) Ram Air 111.56, New York Beasts 89.70
League 337241: (1-1) Tazo Zen 110.80, super batman team 62.54

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (0-2) Lehigh Valley Genesis 100, Timmy’s Rams 104
Football Paradise League: (1-1) Vodka Martinis 75, Usa Niners 2011 108

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (0-2) Martini Time 128.3, Some Ole Boys 136.8

So I’m a combined 3-7  for the week for my head-to-head contests, and 8-12 for the season

Time to hit the waiver wires!

Almost as exciting as the return of NFL football is the return of Fantasy Football. Millions of armchair quarterbacks and coaches out to prove that they know the game better than anyone else. Some pay for the privilege, most (like me) seek out the free games and play for bragging rights. I know one guy who’s played in the same fantasy league for several years; the last weekend in August, he travels from his home in Alabama to his league’s Fantasy Draft Day gathering in Missouri. I know another that will literally laugh with sinister glee if, say, Drew Brees has a horrific game, not because he hate the Saints, but because Drew’s the quarterback on his opponent’s fantasy team.  I think it not unlikely that many people care more about Fantasy Football than they do about real-life football (I suppose in the way many people’s online life can be more important to them than reality; but that’s not the topic here today).

I’ve been a fantasy fanatic for about 14 years or so. I play several leagues each year, always free, with which I have average success: I’ve been League Champion, I’ve been a cellar dweller, often in the same season.

Like last year, this season I’m going to post the results of my games every week. No particular reason I’m sharing this with you. Just that it’s my blog and I feel like doing it.

Yahoo Teams

RTVP League: (1-0) Angus’ All Stars 94, Dundee’s Devils 50
Chix & Dix League: (1-0) Stratoblasters 231.76, i’m here 217.08
Purple Pride League: (1-0) 4th And 10 173.25,  ALWAYS 154.38
Panther Power:  (0-1) Tazo Zen 187.67, Memphis Tigers Rule! 197.55
Pros Joes & Schmoes League:  (0-1) The New No. 2 109.08, Hanlon’s Revenge 135.67

NFL.com

League 337126: (1-0) Ram Air 102.00, Luftpumpe 82.28
League 337241: (0-1) Tazo Zen 73.50, Swiftoo 118.66

ESPN.com:

ESPN’z #1 League: (0-1) Lehigh Valley Genesis 83, Team Houston 88
Football Paradise League: (1-0) Vodka Martinis 77, NOR CAL ROCKDOGGS 70

Fox Sports Public League 29622: (0-1) Martini Time 56.8, colt’s browns 90.5

So I’m a combined 5-5 for the week for my head-to-head contests.

An inauspicious start, but still: happy to see football back!