You Should Listen to Me: I Placed First in a Private Make-Believe World

So all my waiver-wiring and managing risk and whatnot landed me a league title in one of the two leagues I cared about (and I came in second in the other one). Booya!

Mostly though, I'm excited that fantasy baseball season is over so I can focus on (fantasy) football, as well as the baseball playoffs. Fantasy sports really enhance my spectator experience, but it's also nice to watch a game and not worry about every at-bat and how it will affect me. Here's hoping the Yankees go deep into October baseball!

Fantasy Football: Feast or Famine

So for week 1 I lost in three of my fantasy football leagues and tied in the fourth (Boos can be directed to Maurice Jones-Drew, Torry Holt, Braylon Edwards, Steven Jackson, and Chad Johnson). But what goes around comes around; I've won in three leagues and am posed to win in the fourth (Cheers go to Clinton Portis, Ryan Longwell, Plaxico Burress, Donald Driver, and Calvin Johnson).

Four victories is a pyrrhic victory though, because the Jets lost :( I even own Favre, Cotchery, and Jones on a few teams! What more can I do?!

Thank Goodness

First of all, let me get this out of the way: GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN! 

OK, now that I got that out of the way, I can get to my main point. I am so glad the Giants won. Not because I dislike the Patriots. Not because I'm a Giants fan (I'm not; I'm a Jets fan, but the Giants are my #2). But because Pats fans have become so smug these past few months. People were talking about the Superbowl parade as if it was a done deal. Now I can get some peace at work.

(cross posted on Yankee Fan In Boston)

Terrible Start

Between my four fantasy football leagues, I have 2 wins through the first 2 weeks of the season. Good thing they're on the same team.

0-fer in my work league.

That one league I'm winning is the league I run.

Fantasy Football

So this year I'm going to be in four fantasy football leagues. That's just ridiculous. But of course the hard part is actually coming up with four team names. I always start with my old standby, "Neosporin Squad", then I pick a new name based on either current events or players on my teams. I've stayed away from Michael Vick this year because it's too easy, so here's what I've got:

• Brady Quinn's a Dick (my league)
• You're The Man Now Dogs (work league)
• Body by Mangini (coworker's outside of work league, three-player keeper)(also this came from Kissing Suzy Kolbert)
• Pacman for Prez (friend's league)

I'm pretty unhappy about that last one; it may change after the draft.

Speaking of drafts, the first two leagues up there have drafted, and here are my teams:

Brady Quinn's a Dick (standard scoring, 12 teams):

1. Laurence Maroney (10th overall, RB, NE)
2. Steve Smith (15, WR, Car)
3. Deuce McAllister (34, RB, NO)
4. Carnell Williams (39, RB, TB)
5. Deion Branch (58, WR, Sea)
6. Matt Hasselbeck (63, QB, Sea)
7. Kellen Winslow (82, TE, Cle)
8. Devery Henderson (87, WR, NO)
9. Santonio Holmes (106, WR, Pit)
10. Alge Crumpler (111, TE, Atl)
11. Jason Campbell (130, QB, Was)
12. Brandon Marshall (135, WR, Den)
13. Jason Elam (154, K, Den)
14. Minnesota D (159, D, Min)
15. Reuben Droughns (178, RB, NYG)

Pretty happy with this team, though I may have taken Cadillac too early (backup RB before second QB?).

You're the Man Now Dogs (very odd scoring, 1 backup per position required, special teams separate, 12 teams)

1. Larry Johnson (11, RB, KC)
2. Donovan McNabb (14, QB, Phi)
3. Deuce McAllister (35, RB, NO)
4. Anquan Boldin (38, WR, Ari)
5. Plaxico Burress (59, WR, NYG)
6. a. Jay Cutler (62, QB, Den), pick traded for
   b. Cadillac Williams (69, RB, TB)
7. a. San Diego D (83, D, SD), pick traded for
   b. Santana Moss (76, WR, Was)
8. Chad Pennington (86, QB, NYJ)
9. Kellen Winslow (107, TE, Cle)
10. Olindo Mare (110, TE, NO)
11. Owen Daniels (131, TE, Hou)
12. Neil Rackers (135, K, Ari)
13. Jacksonville ST (155, ST, Jac)
14. St. Louis D (158, D, STL)
15. Houston ST (179, ST, Hou)
16. Indianapolis D (182, D, Ind)

That draft pick trade threw this league into a tailspin. The veterans in this league have been doing it since long before computers, and they had outlawed all sorts of behavior we take for granted, like trades, waiver wire acquisitions, and draft pick trading. Also their scoring is screwy; every player gets 6 points for a TD of the type they're supposed to get, but 12 for any other way (RB rushing TD = 6 pts, RB receiving TD = 12 pts). Also QBs are heavily weighted, and interceptions are ignored.