Playoff Scenarios -- Week 13

EASTERN CONFERENCE


Champaign Toast
Record: 9-2-1 (1st place, Eastern Division)
Remaining Schedule: @Heat (2-8-2)
Conference Record: 5-2-1
Power Ranking: 1st (Off: 2nd, Def: 1st)
Tie Breakers Held: Beavers, Meth Addicts (head-to-head); Sasquatch, Baconators (conference record)
What needs to Happen: Eastern Conference Champs
Outlook: Took care of business last week to clinch the division. Headed for a 1st round bye and the Eastern Conference title game.


Mount Savage Sasquatch
Record: 8-4 (2nd place, Eastern Division)
Remaining Schedule: Burger Kings (6-5-1)
Conference Record: 4-4
Power Ranking: 2nd (Off: 1st, Def: 7th)
Tie Breakers Held: Beavers (conference record)
What needs to Happen: Clinched 2nd place in the Eastern Conference
Outlook: Needed a handful of points on Monday Night to secure a victory and ended up with a truckload. They’ve solidified themselves as the #1 offense and their defense has been on the rise as of late. They have been lying quiet all year, but as the defending league champs, they’ll be a beast to take down. Looking at a first round home game vs. whoever ends up #3.


Jacksonville Meth Addicts
Record: 6-5-1 (T-3rd place, Eastern Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Nuggets (5-7)
Conference Record: 4-3-1
Power Ranking: 4th (Off: 4th, Def: 5th)
Tie Breakers Held: Beavers (head-to-head); Sasquatch (conference record)
What needs to Happen: A win and a Birmingham loss gets them into the playoffs.
Outlook: Their 3-game win streak has come at the right time as they have now pulled into a tie with the Baconators for 3rd place. They have a tough game with Vegas coming up, but win or lose they just need to stay tied with Birmingham to force a tie break. The Meth are currently +130 up on the Bacon in the offensive points tie break.


Birmingham Baconators
Record: 6-5-1 (T-3rd place, Eastern Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Predators (5-5-2)
Conference Record: 4-3-1
Power Ranking: 8th (Off: 10th, Def: 2nd)
Tie Breakers Held: Beavers (conference record)
What needs to Happen: A win and a Jacksonville loss gets them into the playoffs.
Outlook: Real bad loss against the Bunnies last week puts them behind the 8-ball with one game to go. Their defense remains stellar, but the 3rd tie break vs. Jacksonville goes to offensive points scored, where they currently rank last. They still have a realistic chance of making the playoffs, but they need both a win and Meth loss to get there.


Boston Beavers
Record: 3-8-1 (5th place, Eastern Division)
Remaining Schedule: @Bunnies(5-6-1)
Conference Record: 1-6-1
Power Ranking: 10th (Off: 9th, Def: 8th)
Tie Breakers Held: none
What needs to Happen: Mathematically eliminated
Outlook: Put up a decent fight last week against the Predators, but couldn’t pull out the win. They do have a hand in determining who goes to the playoffs with a battle in Carson City this week. They also still have a chance to get the #1 overall pick in the draft if they lose and the Heat beat the Toast.



WESTERN CONFERENCE


Compton Burger Kings
Record: 6-5-1 (1st place, Western Division)
Remaining Schedule: @Sasquatch (8-4)
Conference Record: 5-2-1
Power Ranking: 6th (Off: 7th, Def: 4th)
Tie Breakers Held: Bunnies, Nuggets (head-to-head); Predators, Heat (conference record)
What needs to Happen: They’ve clinched the #2 seed; a win or tie or a Portland loss wins them the division.
Outlook: They couldn’t stand up to an Eastern conference opponent yet again, dropping their all-time record against the East to 4-8. They still haven’t wrapped up the division and now must play a tough Sasquatch team with the division on the line.


Portland Predators
Record: 5-5-2 (2nd place, Western Conference)
Remaining Schedule: @Baconators (6-5-1)
Conference Record: 3-3-2
Power Ranking: 7th (Off: 5th, Def: 9th)
Tie Breakers Held: Heat, Bunnies (head-to-head)
What needs to Happen: A win and Compton loss to win the division. A win, or Carson City and/or Vegas loss to make the playoffs.
Outlook: They are the only other team that has a chance at winning the division, and there is also a possibility they could be out entirely. They have a big battle with the Bacon this week in a game that will swing the races of both conferences.


Carson City Bunnies
Record: 5-6-1 (3rd place, Western Division)
Remaining Schedule: Beavers (3-8-1)
Conference Record: 3-4-1
Power Ranking: 9th (Off: 6th, Def: 10th)
Tie Breakers Held: Heat (head-to-head)
What needs to Happen: A win will get them into the playoffs. A win and Portland loss will get them 2nd, a loss and Vegas loss will get them 3rd.
Outlook: They did their job last week and watched the East pick off Vegas, which allowed them to jump into 3rd place. They have what appears to be an easy game remaining against Boston and just need to continue to win and wait for the teams around them to fall.


Las Vegas Nuggets
Record: 5-7 (4th place, Western Conference)
Remaining Schedule: @Meth Addicts (6-5-1)
Conference Record: 5-3
Power Ranking: 3rd (Off: 3rd, Def: 6th)
What needs to Happen: They need to win and Portland and/or Carson City to lose to make the playoffs. If they win and both teams lose, they can clinch 2nd place.
Outlook: The bad luck they had last year seems to be suddenly coming back like a bad rash. 5 and 6 pt losses while scoring over 120pts each of the last 2 weeks puts them on the outside needing some help to get in. If they can pull out one more victory and hope one of the other two teams ahead of them fall, they can make the playoffs. Otherwise, it’s another heart-break season with nothing to show for it.

San Diego Heat
Record: 2-8-2 (5th place, Western Division)
Remaining Schedule: Toast (9-2-1)
Conference Record: 1-5-2
Power Ranking: 5th (Off: 8th, Def: 3rd)
Tie Breakers Held: Burger Kings (head-to-head)
What needs to Happen: Mathematically eliminated.
Outlook: The Heat have had an all around tough luck season. Having to endure the mess of a team Steve A. built, they were already salary cap strapped coming in. Brian Westbrook was injured most of the season and their franchise back DeAngelo Williams never became a significant factor, resulting in only 2 wins and 2 ties all year. On the bright side, they may have found the defensive rookie of the year in Brian Cushing, and are on the inside track at getting the #1 pick in next year’s draft. Keep your head up Mr. Looby, maybe next year your team will be good enough to get an invite from President Obama.

Mid Year Review

The season is past the halfway point now and teams are starting to come into form. The 2nd half of the season will be focused on playoff battles, fine tuning trouble spots, and for some, preparing for next year. But for now, let’s review how the teams did in the first half.
The report cards are based on a scientific formula ranking each team against the others in the league by position, record and power/luck rankings. Since not all positions and stats are considered as important as other in fantasy football, a weighting system was also incorporated to balance things out. As stated, these grades were calculated based on complex mathematical equations, not subjective opinions, so if you don’t like them, then come up with your own formula.

Champaign Toast: A
The Toast boast the best linebacker and cornerback cores in the league to justify their #1 ranked defense. They have the best record at the halfway point, along with reclaiming the top spot in the power rankings in week 7. They do appear a bit weak at running back and safety, but overall are clearly the top team in the league.

Mount Savage Sasquatch: B+
The defending champs have slipped a bit from last year after the quick start they had to this season, but are still doing well enough to be considered the 2nd best team in the league. They are near the top in the traditional fantasy football power positions (QB/RB/WR) and are 3rd in the power rankings. However, their defense has eroded considerably from last year and their kicking game and tight end play have been weak thus far, dragging them down.

Jacksonville Meth Addicts: B
It’s hard to believe a last place team could be the 3rd best team in the league, but their #2 power ranking coupled with the worst luck in the league explains this discrepancy. They currently have one of the best running games, and are near the top at the safety position. Only trouble on special teams and their unfortunate record prevented them from getting a higher grade.

Birmingham Baconators: B
After a very strong start to the year they’ve cooled off a bit, but still rank near the top in Kicking, D-line, running back and tight end production. They have the #2 defense in the league, however, their weakness at this point is coming from their QB and WR positions. They are dead last in quarterback production, which has hurt their offensive power rankings and may have cost them a few wins. They are still tied for the 2nd best record in the league and easily are in the upper half of the league.

Carson City Bunnies: B-
Carson City may be middle of the pack here, but they are the best ranked team in the Western Conference. They currently own the #1 quarterback, D-line and safety group in the league and their wide receivers are near the top. The weakness at this point is their linebacker core (due in part to the loss of Urlacher) and special teams units are both last in the league. These extremes even out to be right near the middle of the grade curve.

Compton Burger Kings: B-
The fact that they play in the West may be helping their ranking here. Their team has excelled at the kicker, linebacker, and punter positions, but may have partly gotten the record they have with a bit of luck, since they are right now at the top of the Clover meter. Quarterback and defensive line have been a disappointment this year, which makes their preseason trade with the Sasquatch (DL-Peppers for QB-Ryan) seem like a bust for them. Their running back carousel has only produced middle of the pack numbers so far.

San Diego Heat: C
Despite having the worst record in the league, their team does not appear to be in all that bad of shape. They currently rank above three other teams in the power rankings and have the 2nd best linebacking crew in the league. They’ve been a bit short on luck so far, as they are 3rd from the bottom on the clover meter, and they’ll need to step up play at a few positions, most notably tight end where they rank last.

Las Vegas Nuggets: C
Running back has been a bit of an issue so far this year, and their big contract defensive line has to this point let them down. They are currently 2nd from the bottom in the power rankings, but have managed to keep the boat afloat better than they did last year. Part of their limited success has been due to the wide receiver and tight end positions, which they currently rank first. They’ve also managed to do a bit better on defense this year, with high production coming from their secondary.

Portland Predators: C-
Portland is second worst only to Jacksonville in luck so far, but unlike the Meth Addicts they’ve paired that with the worst power ranking in the league. Also unlike Jacksonville, they have managed to pick their spots and have a better record, even leading the conference at one point. But trouble has caught up with them as they are last in safety and wide receiver production and have the 2nd worst linebackers in the league.

Boston Beavers: D
The luck all ran out this year as the Beavers are calculated to be the worst team in the league. Coming in last in cornerback production and 2nd to last in running back and safety production, along with the worst record in the conference has tumbled the team all the way down to the basement. They shouldn’t consider the season a total loss though, because due to their savvy signing of Shane Lechler, they hold the top spot in Punter production.

*Detail on these mid-season grades will be found on the 2nd tab of the Power Ranking file after Week 8’s Power Ranking update

Week 3 Recap

Champaign Toasts the Burgers
My how the mighty have fallen. Number one in the power rankings after week 1, the Burger Kings have not reached the century mark now two weeks in a row, dropping their 2nd straight game 108-83. After benching Frank Gore in week 2, he was given the start this week and promptly injured himself in the first quarter. Their offensive leader Tony Gonzalez played as if he were hurt too, putting up 0 points as well. Compton’s high scorer on offense was their kicker, David Akers with 13 pts, nearly half their offensive output. The Toast have consistently scored between 100 and 110 points each of the first 3 weeks, and this week it was good enough for the win. With 4 starters in double digits and another solid defensive output, they coasted to their 2nd win of the season and pull into a tie for 2nd place in the conference.

Meth Addicts Smoke the Beavers for First Franchise Win
Jacksonville finally recorded their first franchise win this week, handily beating the Beavers by 34 points. The Meth dominated on defense, scoring a season high 59pts on D despite the injury to Justin Tuck. Jacksonville is #3 in the power rankings despite their 0-2 start, and they earned an easy win after two tough losses. After an opening week win, the Beavers have hit some rough times. Scoring less than 40pts on both sides of the ball, they have dropped to last in the power rankings through 3 weeks. The Beavers have been mainly hurt by the slow starts from the four main players integral to their playoff run last year: Steve Smith, Randy Moss, Will Forte and Clinton Portis, who have 0 TDs combined.

Vegas slips Past the Carson City to Win the Round 1 Battle of Nevada
The Nuggets were able to climb out of a 20pt hole on Monday night to shoot past the Bunnies for their 2nd win of the year. It was games like this they lost with regularity a year ago, but this year behind the arm of Tony Romo, solid WR play and their rookie RB, they were able to come out with a win that puts them in a tie for the top spot in the conference. The Bunnies did not get their 5 game road trip off to a good start with the loss in Vegas. This is the 2nd year in a row the Bunnies have gone into Vegas and lost. Peyton Manning’s 25pts was enough to get the team a late lead, but there was little help from anyone else to hold off the charging Nuggets. Jared Allen was the only other player in double digits and they’ve now fallen to 8th in the power rankings.

Birmingham stomps the ‘Squatch to Stay Undefeated
The game of the week pitted the two remaining undefeated teams from the Eastern Conference. The Baconators managed to weather the Monday night storm and hand the Sasquatch their first loss since moving to Mount Savage. The Bacon also become the only undefeated team left in the league and sit atop the conference at 3-0. Their success has been a full team effort so far, with the WR’s leading the way this week, both posting double digit scores. Elvis Dumervil continued to power their #1 ranked defense with 11 pts this week. For the Squatch, they had a rough week as the Drew Brees to Marquis Colston connection failed for the first time this year. As they always do, they were able to pick up the slack with significant production from other players, as MJD posted 3 TDs and 27pts, but it was their defense that let them down. Their D-line scored a combined 2pts and usually reliable DeMarcus Ware had only 2pts resulting in just 27pts from their D. The loss drops them into a 2nd place tie with the Toast and makes their week 9 rematch with the Bacon that much more significant for them.

Heat Burned Again by Portland
The Heat still cannot get off the schnide as they drop their 3rd straight divisional game, the 2nd they’ve lost at home. Early season injuries have already taken a toll for the salary strapped Heat, and franchise player DeAngelo Williams has not helped the team out much so far. They did sport a balanced attack in week 3, scoring 40pts on both offense and defense, but scoring less than 85pts will not win many games. They are the only winless team in the FFLA and have to host Birmingham next week. As for Portland, they were able to pull out the win despite their 2 WRs and TE posting 0 pts. Aaron Rogers led the way with 22pts, along with 14 from their punter, to take advantage of the slumping Heat. This was their 2nd road win in a row, and they will now go home in a tie for first place in the conference.

WEEK 2 PREVIEW

San Diego at Carson City
Starting out 0-2 in the division is not the best way to start a season, but unfortunately for one of these teams it may become a reality. The defending Western conference champs need to find some hope after an abysmal week 1 performance. It was a whole team effort last week that resulted in the least points in the league and getting blown out by 54. Only Payton Manning scored in double digits, and Urlacher was hurt for the year. The Bunnies are looking for a spark to get their once high flying offense back off the ground. As for the Heat, they have their own injury issues with Anthony Gonzalez and Troy Palomalu going out with extended injuries in week 1. This puts them thin at safety and a bit iffy at WR until their returns and they only have 1 year left to work with under the cap. The Heat weren’t awful in their loss last week, and as long as their RB tandem of D. Williams and Westbrook continue to produce they should be fine, but they are one more significant injury away from major problems. I look to Carson City’s offense to turn it up this week and show that week 1 was a fluke.
Bunnies by 5
Boston at Las Vegas
The Beavers head west to the desert to take on Las Vegas, where they won last year 102-96. A year ago, the Nuggets defense was their weak spot, recording only 24pts that week. This year their defense is improved, but it was their top ranked offense that carried them in week 1 behind the rejuvenated arm of Tony Romo. Their WR’s are by far the best in the league so far, with all three totaling double digits last week. The running back situation has been a concern, and the team has decided to give one of their rookie RB’s, LeSean McCoy, a starting shot this week. The Beavers had a habit a year ago of pulling out the close games. However, week 1 was not so kind to them, losing in the closest game of the week by 12 points. With the way the Eastern Conference was last year, and the way it’s shaping this year, they cannot afford to drop to 0-2. Matt Forte and Philip Rivers both draw tough defenses in week 2, so they may need others to step up and fill the hole. Last year it was Boston with the golden horseshoe in close games, while Vegas ended up with the shaft in just about all their games decided by 5pts or less. I see the close game law of averages kicking in and a reversal of fortune this year for both teams.
Nuggets by 2

Portland at Compton
Think Predator 2 only in LA. The new Portland owner will be taking his team down the coast for the first road game of the young franchise. He will need all the weapons he can carry to take on the #1 ranked Burger Kings in the ghetto. Compton slaughtered the Bunnies in week 1, scoring a league best 64 defensive points. This could be a dangerous game for the Kings, since they are already looking past this game and preparing for a tough week 3 opponent, the Toast. They look to be without their star rookie RB James Davis for the game, so finding enough offense to win without him may be difficult. The Predators are still looking for their first win after their 30 point blowout to the Sasquatch in week 1. Special teams was their strong suit last week, both their kicker and punter scored in double digits, but they hope to get the rest of their team involved in week 2. Both Aaron Rogers and Chris Johnson are going against easier defenses than they did last week, but injuries to a few key starters could spell trouble. I expect this game to be closer than it would appear and Portland to put up a valiant effort, but come up just short of a victory.
Burger Kings by 6

Jacksonville at Mount Savage
The Meth Addicts go into the forest to hunt Bigfoot in this matchup. Of course you can’t believe a methhead when he says he swears he saw a big hairy creature out of the corner of his eye walking between the trees in the distance, right before he passes out. After a loss in week 1, Jacksonville hopes to stay awake long enough to take down the champ, who hasn’t lost a game since week 13 last year. The Meth put up a solid effort in week 1, scoring over 100pts in a loss, with more than 50pts scored on both offense and defense. They also managed to make it through week 1 with no significant injuries, and if Steven Jackson ever gets back on track, they could be a dangerous team. The Sasquatch picked right up where they left off last year, demolishing their week 1 opponent behind the arm of Drew Brees. Their running game could be cause for concern with MJD nursing an injury and Slaton’s disappointing week 1 performance, but as long as Brees continues his 6TD’s per game average and the D line scores a TD every week, they will be unstoppable again this year. Jacksonville is a dangerous team that could break out and any time, and Mount Savage is due for a loss, but I just don’t see this as the week it happens.
Sasquatch by 10

Birmingham at Champaign
The Monkey Butt franchise has moved a bit farther south this season so it is no longer a downstate rivalry, however, after the Baconators’ week 1 performance, both teams appear to be contenders in the Eastern Conference. Behind the performance of Adrian Peterson last week, who justified his #1 fantasy pick status, and Jeremy Shocky’s return from obscurity, the Baconators put up the 2nd most points in the league. They still have some issues at QB and WR, but their defense was solid, scoring the 3rd most points in the league. Andy Lee also stepped up from a completely awful 2008 season to score double digits for the Bacon in week 1. For the Toast, week 2 of 2009 is a much happier place than week 2 of 2008. Tom Brady made it through his opening game without injury, and in fact, no starters from last week have been put on IR yet. For a team that was #1 in the Power rankings last year despite their franchise QB going down in week 1, this could spell trouble for the rest of the league. The team put in a workman-like performance in week 1, with most starters scoring their expected weekly averages. There are some concerns on the WR and DL fronts, but as long as the team as a whole stays consistent, the Toast should be able to keep up with the Eastern Conference big dogs this year. Birmingham had a few eye opening performances in week 1, so it’s expected to see them come down to earth a bit in week 2. This will probably be a close game, possibly with home field advantage even becoming a factor.
Toast by 1

WEEK 1 MATCHUPS

WEEK 1 MATCHUPS

Compton Burger Kings @ Carson City Bunnies

This will be a close battle between two rivals. On paper it appears the Bunnies would have the edge on offense with Peyton Manning, Michael Turner and Andre Johnson leading the way. On defense it appears the teams are closely matched up with the Burger Kings getting a slight edge. The X Factor will be in the swing positions for both teams. Felix Jones is coming off an injury from last year and will be sharing carries with Marion Barber who is still the starter. The Burger Kings need LenDale White to continue his 15 touchdown performance last year with his limited carries. Another question mark is the Burger Kings defensive line. This could come down to the wire giving the Bunnies the edge with home field advantage.

Bunnies win by 5


San Diego Heat @ Las Vegas Nuggets

Both teams have loaded up their rosters with new players and are ready to do battle in Las Vegas. Donovan McNabb and Larry Fitzgerald lead the way for the Las Vegas Nuggets offense, which appears to be evenly matched with the Heats offense. Kurt Warner and DeAngelo Williams lead the way for the Heat’s offense. Both teams have question marks at some key areas on offense. The Nuggets are depending on Willie Parker to return from injury and the Heat are depending on Hines Ward to handle the #1 Wide Receiver spot on an offense that isn’t known for passing. The team that gets the edge on defense will win the game.

Heat win by 2


Mount Savage Sasquatch @ Portland Predators

This game could also be a close matchup with the Maurice Jones Drews injury. If Jones-Drew bounces back strong than the Sasquatch will get the win. The Sasquatch also has a strong defense. The Portland Predators have done a nice job building an expansion franchise, but are no match for the Sasquatch. Aaron Rodgers is probably the most underrated QB in the league, however Drew Brees is the best. The X Factor will probably be Maurice Jones-Drew. If Maurice Jones-Drew cannot bounce back from his injury then the Predators could have a chance. The Sasquatch may have a slight edge on defense so the Predators need Jones-Drew to have a bad day.

Sasquatch win by 5


Jacksonville Meth Addicts @ Birmingham Baconators

Two new FFLA Franchise Owners will face off on opening day in Birmingham. The Baconators have some major concerns at Quarterback and Wide Receiver, but he’s got Adrian Peterson who is the best and most dependable running back in the league. He’s also got a solid Swing Position Running back with Marion Barber. The Meth Addicts have the senior citizen quarterback Brett Farve with Ronnie Brown and Stephen Jackson for his running backs. The Meth Addicts have a big advantage at wide receiver with Terrell Owens. The X Factor will be if the Meth Addicts defense can keep up with the Baconators defense which could be the best in the league. Also, Brett Favre could hurt the Meth Addicts with his tendency for throwing interceptions.

Baconators win by 4


Champaign Toast @ Boston Beavers

This will be a down to the wire game. The Beavers have a solid team on offense with Matt Forte who in my opinion could be the best running back in 2009. He arguable has the best wide receiver with Randy Moss. The Toast beat him in Quarterback and defense, but has a big hole at the running back and swing positions. The X Factor could be Clinton Portis at the swing position for the Beavers. The Beavers need Clinton Portis to even the playing field. If Clinton Portis has a bad day, the Toast defense will shut him down.

Toast win by 3

Free Agency Analysis

The 2009 Free Agency Period opened up with a flood of free agent bids. A total of 79 free agent bids were submitted between Saturday and Thursday for the 1st week.

It's a bidding war and it's tempting some teams to offer higher contracts than they originally wanted to. Big contracts are being awarded to lower than average players, players coming off injuries or positions that don't contribute a lot of points to your team. Defensive Ends for example are getting a lot of 4 year contracts when they are considered one of the lowest scoring positions in our league. However, Quarterback which was the highest scoring position last year did not receive any 4 year contracts as of yet. A lot of Bears players are getting contract offers who didn't even play last year. Brandon Marshall got 4 years and he's just coming off hip surgery, has a bad quarterback throwing to him and has a bad attitude. Who the hell is Thomas Davis? I know James Davis, but not Thomas Davis. I love Mayo but dont' think Jerod Mayo deserves 4 years. Shane Lechlar 4 years because he was the best punter 1 year in a row I guess. After it's all said and done, nobody really knows the future of 2009. At some point you have to sign some players and hope for the best.

Here are the total 4 and 3 year contracts awarded in week 1 of free agency:
9 - 4 year contracts were submitted
19 - 3 year contracts were submitted

The western conference is loading up on players, with the exception of the Compton Burger Kings who has 17 years remaining. Most Eastern Conference franchises are using the sit back and wait strategy, with the exception of the Sasquatch who has 14 years remaining with 5 more contract years open for this week.

Up to this point here are the cap years remaining for each team

Western Conference
Bunnies 10 (1 contract year pending)
Burger Kings 17
Heat 7 (4 contract years pending)
Nuggets 2
Predators 9 (1 contract year pending)

Eastern Conference
Sasquatch 14 (5 contract years pending)
Beavers 21
Toast 15
Baconators 32
Meth Addicts 25

14 STARTING ROSTER REQUIREMENTS

AS A REMINDER, HERE ARE THE 14 STARTING ROSTER REQUIREMENTS
(7 OFFENSE AND 7 DEFENSE):

Offense
1Quarterback
1 Running Back
1 Wide Receiver #1
1 Wide Receiver #2
1 Tight End
1 Swing Position (Running Back, Wide Receiver or Tight End)
1 FG Kicker

Defense
1 Cornerback
1 Safety
1 Linebacker
1 Defensive Lineman #1 (DE or DT)
1 Defensive Lineman #2 (DE or DT)
1 Rover Position (Any defensive position other than punter)
1 Punter

Free Agency 101

FREE AGENCY PERIOD START August 1st at 10am

HOW TO BID
Free Agent Bidding Period is 10:00a.m. Saturdays thru 8:00:59pm on Thursdays
All teams will be able to offer contracts to free agents from 1 to 4 years by clicking the "SUBMIT FREE AGENT BID" button on the league headquarters page or team website. All franchises get an unlimited number of 1, 2 and 3 year contracts to offer within the 55 salary caps years allowed. However, each team is only allowed to offer 3 (4 year) contracts a year.

MATCHING PERIOD
Between 8:01pm on Thursday thru 8:00:59pm on Friday teams can submit matching bids on players already bid on (Cannot bid higher on players and cannot submit new bids during matching period) .

H-LIST
The H-List stands for Free Agent Hierarchy List. This is a rotating list of all the teams. Teams are rotated to the bottom of the list after a free agent bid is awarded. If a team does not win a free agent bid, they will remain at their same location on the H-List The higher you are on the list, the better chance of winning a free agent bid or better chance of matching on a bid. If you are higher on the list than the team bidding on a player, you will win a match unless someone higher matches also.

SHENANIGANS
Replacement players will be awarded to a team owner who is the highest bidder on a player prior to or by 5:59:59pm on Thursdays and who is outbid between 6:00pm and 8:00:59pm on the same Thursday. Also, replacement players will be awarded to a team owner who is the original bidder on a player that is placed between 6:00pm and 8:00:59pm on Thursday, and is outbid between 6:00pm and 8:00:59pm on Thursday.

WEEK 13 PREVIEW (LenDale White's THANKSGIVING DAY SPECIAL)

WEEK 13 PREVIEW (LenDale White's THANKSGIVING DAY SPECIAL)

Welcome to the LenDale White Thanksgiving Day Special. Mr. White recently spouted off to the media about his lack of playing time during last weeks game. Well guess what folks, he's not done spouting off and has a special message for all team owners.

MATT BEVERS vs CHUCK SOUKUP
These 2 Bitter Rivals face each other one more time. The Bevers better bring a bucket of rabbits feet for this one because he's gonna need a lot of luck on his side to take down the Burger Kings who refuse to call it quits. The Burger Kings are taking their much improved team to Boston and won't be sitting down to have a tea party either. Matt recently posted a 122 points on the board against the Las Vegas Nuggets. If Randy Moss and Matt Forte continue putting up big numbers he could be tough to beat. However, the Kings have LenDale White going on Thanksgiving and he's facing the Detroit Lions who have the worst rush defense in the league. LenDale White recently spoke out saying, "I plan on giving the Bevers a Thanksgiving Punch In The Mouth." Matt Bevers recently prank called Chuck at work pretending to be a girl. After hearing about that, LenDale White responded with, "I ain't got no problem puching a girl in the mouth! Happy Thanksgiving motherf%*@er!"
BURGER KINGS win by anywhere between 20 to 60 points.

TOAST vs. HEAT
The Toast still rank at the top of the power rankings and is still in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. Why you ask? Maybe it has something to do with the Coach who is also the Team Owner? If the Toast don't make the playoffs with the talent they have this season, Don might need to hire an expert to handle the coaching aspects of the game. You can have the most talented team, but if you don't have a great motivator, you won't win. The Heat continue to stay in 2nd place but are facing a very talented team who put up 126 points last week. Can they outscore the highest scorer in the league? The Heat need to stay one game ahead of the Kings because the Kings hold the tie breaker to make the playoffs. Last week the Heat put up 94 points without Kurt Warner or Cutler at the helm. On a side note: the team owner of the Toast sent a video email making fun of the Burger Kings. LenDale White responded by saying, "Open wide for my Toasted Knuckle Sandwich Bitch!"
TOAST by 15pts

BUNNIES vs VEGAS
Las Vegas has nothing to play for after being mathmatically eliminated from the playoffs. The Bunnies hold the top spot in the Western Conference with a 6-6 record. He must keep winning because the Heat and Burger Kings are on his tail. Vegas is the 4th power ranked team and Bunnies are 3rd. Last week Michael Turner put up 31 points towards the teams total 97 in the loss to the powerful Gila Monsters. The Bunnies put up 72 points on offense and are currently rank #1 in offensive power ranking. The Bunnies are going to be tough to stop. The Bunnies recently made a jab at the Burger Kings and the Bevers by saying, "Teams with team owners from Metra all suck!" LenDale White from the Burger Kings responded with, "Don't make me Punch a Bunnie in the mouth on Thanksgiving!"
BUNNIES by 5

GILAS vs MONKEY BUTTS
The Gilas are facing a team that has nothing to play for and the Gilas are still looking unstoppable. The Gilas currently hold the best regular season record at 9-3. The Monkey Butts once held the top spot for a few weeks but the team has faded in recent weeks due to starting roster issues. However, the Monkey Butts should not be overlooked with such talent as Adrian Peterson and Marion Barber. The Gilas are currently #2 in the power rankings and keep rolling past teams week after week. The Monkey Butts and Gilas haven't made negative attacks against the Kings but LenDale White spoke out to both teams saying, "You guys should give Thanks that I'm not punching you in the mouth."
GILAS by 8

Week 12 Recap

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The Beavers were tired of hearing about how their last place team was pulling horseshoes out of their ass week after week to somehow score just enough to beat the opposition. The Beavers decided to flex their tail this week, unleashing a deadly combination of Randy Moss and rookie Matt Forte. The two combined for 45 of a new FFLA offensive scoring record 92pts. While they only scored 27pts on defense, they didn’t even need one, as Las Vegas scored less points total (79) than the Beavers offense. After losing to the Beavers, Las Vegas has been officially eliminated from playoff competition. Their season of bad luck continued this week, watching a Boston team put up triple digits for only the 3rd time all season, twice against them, both resulting in Vegas losses. Even with Romo and Willie Parker finally healthy again, they were no match for lady luck.

Butts in the Toilet
The game Compton needed to win came at a good time. Only posting a measly 83pts would’ve only been good enough to beat the two last place teams—fourtunatly they were playing one of them this week in Monee. Despite Frank Gore’s 26yds rushing and LenDale White’s -1yd rushing, they were able to score 49pts on offense and grind out a much needed win against the battered Monkey Butts. This win vaults them into a tie (for now) for 2nd place with the Heat and only one behind the division leading Bunnies. As for Monee, a week after being eliminated from the playoffs they appeared to mail in the game this week. Only 2 players were in double digits and they had a combined 3pts from their receiving group. Monee ended up with more points on defense than offense, and their players appear to have packed it in for the winter.

Bunnies Get Burnt
This matchup pitted the #1 Bunny offense against the #1 Toast defense, but in the end it was the other side of the ball that made the difference. The Toast were able to hang with Carson City’s powerhouse offense, led by Michael Turner’s 4TDs, to match their output at 72. Each team had 4 men in double digits. However, on the defensive side the Toast hit their average with 54pts, but the Bunnies could not match that total, scoring just 22pts. Urlacher led the Bunnies with 7pts, but got little production from everyone else. The Toast, on the other hand, were led once again by Trent Cole’s 11pts and had no member of its defense with less than 6pts.

New Look, Same Result
Once upon a time, this game would’ve been the rematch of rivals Tom and Steve. There would’ve been 14 people dropped and picked up during the week and 5 players stolen at 9:59pm on Thursday night. This week however was strangely quiet on the free agent front, but despite the new looks for each team, the game played out to the same result: a Gila Monster victory. The Heat attempted a new strategy for this week, starting 2nd year man Brady Quinn and benching team captain Brian Westbrook. Unfourtunatly for the Heat, Brady looked about as bad as his old college team, ending up with -2 offensive points. On the bright side, their decision to bench Westbrook in favor of their other RBs paid off as Jones and Williams led the scoring, but they were just outmatched by Cal City. Going into Monday Night the Gilas needed 13pts from their QB and WR. So the went out and got 34pts to make certain they got the win, and kept a hold on their lead in the division. Anyone is capable of being upset at any time, and a loss like that could’ve shifted the balance of power in both conferences. The final two weeks could play out as scripted, but watch out for an unexpected upset or two to completely throw everything up for grabs.

Playoff Scenarios

With just three weeks left in the regular season, it’s time to start thinking playoffs. Nearly everyone is still alive for a playoff birth, but multiple scenarios still exist to determine who those teams will be. Here is a look at each team’s chances and what has to happen between now and December 8th.


EASTERN CONFERENCE

Cal City Gila Monsters
Record: 8-3 (1st place, Eastern Division)
Remaining Schedule: Heat(5-6), Monkey Butts(4-7), Burger Kings(4-7)
Conference Record: 5-0
Power Ranking: 2nd (Off: 4th , Def: 2nd)
Tie Breakers Held: Toast, Beavers (head-to-head)
What needs to Happen: 2 wins takes the division.
Outlook: The Gilas hold all the cards, with a 1-game lead and all the tie breakers. They play no team over .500 the rest of the way, so barring complete collapse they have the division sewn up.

Boston Beavers
Record: 7-4 (T-2nd place, Eastern Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Nuggets (3-8), Burger Kings(4-7), Bunnies(6-5)
Conference Record: 3-3
Power Ranking: 7th (Off: 6th , Def: 7th)
Tie Breakers Held: Monkey Butts (head-to-head), Toast (conference record)
What needs to Happen: Their magic number is 3 combined wins and Toast losses to make the playoffs. Magic number 5 combined wins and Cal City losses to take the division.
Outlook: The tie-break against the Toast is key. If they win out they don’t need help and still have an outside chance at the division title. The final game against the Bunnies could be huge.

Champaign Toast
Record: 7-4 (T-2nd place, Eastern Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Bunnies(6-5), Heat(5-6), Nuggets(3-8)
Conference Record: 2-4
Power Ranking: 1st (Off: 2nd, Def: 1st)
Tie Breakers Held: Monkey Butts (offensive points)
What needs to Happen: Their magic number is 4 combined wins and Beaver losses to make the playoffs. Magic number 5 combined wins and Cal City losses to take the division.
Outlook: They hold no tie-breakers, so even if they win out they will still need some help to get into the playoffs. Toughest schedule of the three, they have no margin for error.

Monee Monkey Butts
Record: 4-7 (4th place, Eastern Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Burger Kings(4-7), Gila Monsters(8-3), Heat(5-6)
Conference Record: 1-4
Power Ranking: 6th (Off: 7th , Def: 6th)
Tie Breakers Held: none
What needs to Happen: No mathematical way to make the playoffs.
Outlook: The best they can do is 7-7 and a 3-way tie with the Beavers and Toast for 2nd place. In that scenario, the Beavers would take the playoff spot with their better conference record.


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Carson City Bunnies
Record: 6-5 (1st place, Western Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Toast(7-4), Nuggets(3-8), Beavers(7-4)
Conference Record: 4-1
Power Ranking: 3rd (Off: 1st , Def: 5th)
Tie Breakers Held: Kings (head-to-head), Heat, Nuggets (conference record)
What needs to Happen: One win clinches the playoffs, two wins takes the division.
Outlook: They hold their own destiny (and all the tie breaks) in their hands. Despite the two tough eastern conference games, they just need to take care of business against the Nuggets and go 1-1 against the East to win the division.

Tempe Heat
Record: 5-6 (2nd place, Western Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Gila Monsters(8-3), Toast(7-4), Monkey Butts(4-7)
Conference Record: 3-3
Power Ranking: 7th (Off: 3rd , Def: 8th)
Tie Breakers Held: Nuggets (head-to-head)
What needs to Happen: Their magic number is 3 combined wins and Compton losses to make the playoffs. Magic number 5 combined wins and Carson City losses to take the division.
Outlook: They’ve lost 3 in a row and have to play the two toughest teams in the league the next two weeks. Still, if they can somehow manage to go 2-1, in the Western conference they have a shot to make the playoffs.

Compton Burger Kings
Record: 4-7 (3rd place, Western Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Monkey Butts(4-7), Beavers(7-4), Gila Monsters(8-3)
Conference Record: 3-3
Power Ranking: 5th (Off: 8th , Def: 3rd)
Tie Breakers Held: Heat (head-to-head)
What needs to Happen: Their magic number is 4 combined wins and Heat losses to make the playoffs. Magic number 6 combined wins and Carson City losses to take the division.
Outlook: The tie breaker against the Heat is huge, however they still have to make up a game on the Heat to get there. The Monkey Butts might come into play as a spoiler if either team ends up losing to them. Realistically, Compton needs to pull off an upset vs. the East to get in.

Las Vegas Nuggets
Record: 3-8 (4th place, Western Conference)
Remaining Schedule: Beavers(7-4), Bunnies(6-5), Toast(7-4)
Conference Record: 2-3
Power Ranking: 4th (Off: 5th , Def: 4th)
Tie Breakers Held: Burger Kings (offensive points)
What needs to Happen: Their magic number is 6 combined wins and Heat losses (plus at least one Compton loss) to make the playoffs.
Outlook: They need a minor miracle to make the playoffs, but they are still alive. They also have the toughest remaining schedule, which does not help. The Heat hold the head-to-head tie-break over them, which just makes things tougher. The one advantage they have is in the event that there is a 3-way tie for 2nd , first tie break could not be resolved and all three teams are tied for the 2nd tie-break (given they beat the Bunnies in wk13), they would need to outscore the Heat by 27pts (offensive) by the end of the season in order to win the 3rd tie-break.

WEEK 11 PREVIEW

TOAST vs BURGER KINGS
The most anticipated game of the year. The Compton Burger Kings lost in the last meeting 122-121. The Toast is the highest scoring team in the league but the Kings are making a last minute surge to turn their team around. It's going to be a tough game for the Kings but his team is much improved since the addition of Brandon Marshall and LenDale White. The Toast have been the most consistent team all season and makes a low number of player transactions. He currently only has $6.00 in cuts which is tied for the lowest in the league. The Burger Kings have already noticed a scoring shennegan. Mr. Osborne has put Gary Brackett in my starting lineup but I clearly removed him. WTF. TOAST by 10

BUNNIES vs BUTTS
The Bunnies are tied for the lead in the Western Conference and only 1 game ahead of the Burger Kings. He has a good team, despite the prank call he received from an annonymous Metra Employee who I plan on finding. The Monkey Butts are also a good team but he just needs a new team owner who knows how to submit starting rosters. I think this week he's learned his lesson and could come out looking strong. However, he's going to have to get past the #3 power ranked Bunnies to get a win. The Monkey Butts are currently last in their division and need a win with only 4 games remaining in the regular season. BUNNIES by 6

NUGGETS vs GILA MONSTERS
The Las Vegas nuggets are on a 2 game winning streak. Can he continue the streak against the #2 power ranked Gilas? I sure the hell hope he can't. He's currently riding up the ass of the Burger Kings and it's making Chuck nervous. The Nuggets are still in last place but his overall scoring statistics indicate he's a much better team than his record. The Gila Monsters have the best regular season record at 7-3. He seems unstoppable, even against the mighty Toast. It's looking more and more like he will be the Eastern Conference Champ. The Nuggets need this win bad because he can't afford to go 3-8 in the Conference.. GILAS by 9

BEAVERS vs HEAT
This is the closest matchup of the week. Both teams have been neck and neck in the power rankings all season. They are the bottom 2 teams in the rankings so this could be a very boring game. The Beavers jumped out to a 14-3 lead after the Thursday Night game. Somehow the Beavers have a winning record at 6-4. The Heat are currently tied for the lead in their Conference at 5-5. Can the Beavers continue the luck? Can the Heat maintain the lead in the conference with the Burger Kings on their heels?

WEEK 10 RECAP

DOWN TO THE WIRE!
With Week 10 completed we only have 4 more regular season games left.

In the Eastern Conference, the Gilas Monsters are looking more and more like a power house with a 7-3 record. The Toast continue to brag about their power rankings and the Beavers are in denial that he's at the bottom of the power rankings. The Monee Monkey Butts keep shooting themselves in the foot with Starting Roster Errors and now they are last in the conference.

In the Western Conference, the Bunnies are tied for the lead with the Heat with a 5-5 record. The Compton Burger Kings are making a turn for the better, along with the Las Vegas Nuggets who could potentially finish with a .500 record. The conference looks very weak compared to the Eastern teams.

WEEK 10 RECAP

BUNNIES vs GILAS

The Gilas took down the best team in the Western Conference with a score of 110 to 104. The Eastern Conference is dominating the league in the power rankings. Keith Shroeder could have potentially inherited a championship team in week 10. Maurice Jones Drew scored 23 for the Gilas while Peyton Manning scored 17 for the Bunnies. This loss put the Bunnies in a tie for the Western Conference lead with the Heat at 5-5.

BURGER KINGS vs HEAT

The Compton Burger Kings backed up the trash talk with a big win in week 10. The Kings needed this win to stay in the hunt for the Championship. The Heat missed out on an opportunity to take sole possession of 1st place in the Western Conference. The Heat came up big on offense with 20pts from Kurt Warner and 27pts from Thomas Jones. The Burger Kings provided a more balanced attack with 61pts on offense and 52pts on defense. The Heat fell apart big time on defense only scoring 22pts and that was the difference in the game.

MONKEY BUTTS vs NUGGETS

The Nuggets have put together a 2 game winning streak winning 105 to 99 over the Monkey Butts. The Nuggets took advantage of another Starting Roster Error by the Monee Monkey Butts when the team owner failed to remove Elvis Dumervil before Thusdays game. If the Butts would have switched Aaron Kampman into the lineman he would have gotten the win. The Nuggets have been talking a lot of trash lately and have been backing it up with wins. Can he finish with a .500 record?

TOAST vs BEAVERS

The Toast are the true power house of the league, even though I don't like to admit this. He is dominating in all categories in the power rankings. That hasn't always translated into wins, but his week it did against the Beavers. The Beavers never stood a chance against the Toast this week because it's hard to compete against 138pts. The Beavers have been hovering around the bottom of the power rankings all season and have been squeeking out wins. Power rankings don't always tell the whole story but this time they did.

WEEK 10 PREVIEW

TOAST vs BEAVERS
The Toast have home field advantage and a number of other advantages this week. The Toast have been dominating this league and currently rank #1 in offense and #1 in defense. They have scored a total of 953 points this year and average an impressive 105.9 points per game. The Beavers are currently last in the power rankings and scored a total of 769 points with an average of 85.4 points per game. If that wasn't enough bad news, the Beavers are going without Clinton Portis due to a bye week. This almost seems like a guaranteed win for the Toast, but that's why we play the games. TOAST by 21

HEAT vs BURGER KINGS
The Heat have gained more respect since the return of Brian Westbrook from an injury. Both teams are very close in the power rankings so they are equally as bad. The Burger Kings had an impressive day from 2 players on Thursday Night and have jumped out to a 25 to 0 lead including home field advantage. Just this week the Burger Kings team owner made an outrageous claim that he would make a comeback. This statement was not backed up by any evidence and was immediately dismissed as more Shenanegans. However, this win is very crucial if the Compton Burger Kings do intend on making a comeback. This game may come down to the Quarterbacks. The Heat have had better luck at the Quarterback position and the Kings could very well be last in Quarterback production. However, Brett Farve is going against the 28th ranked passing defense and Kurt Warner will be facing the 19th ranked passing defense.
KINGS by 1

GILAS vs. BUNNIES
This is another very close macthup, the only difference here is both team are good. The Gila Monsters were just recently taken over by new team owner Keith Shroeder. He has inherited a very good team that is currently in 1st place in the Eastern Conference (6-3). The Bunnies are also in 1st place in the Western Conference (5-4). This game has hugh implications. If the Gilas lose and the Toast win, they will be tied for 1st place with the Toast. If the Bunnies win and the Kings win, they can separate from the rest of the division by 1 game. This game can go either way but I'm picking the Bunnies due to home field advantage. BUNNIES BY 2

MONKEY BUTTS vs NUGGETS
The Butts are on a 4 game losing streak and the Las Vegas Nuggets finally broke out of a 4 game losing streak. The Nuggets could potentially finish with a .500 record this season and are not mathmatically eliminated to make the playoffs, thanks to a lackluster conference. The Butts started the season out promising but had a few starting roster errors that cost him some games. The Monkey Butts are lower in the power rankings than the Nuggets so could potentially go on 5 game losing streak. However, the Butts had a very good Thursday Night getting 20 points from his tight end Kellen Winslow. Will the Nuggets be able to overcome such big production from a tight end? The Nuggets do have momentum on their side.
NUGGETS by 1

Week 9 Recap

Cal City with the inside track
The new Cal City owner should like what he sees, now that the Monsters have pulled off a sweep of both Boston and Champaign. With a share of the division lead, they now have the inside track toward the division title. Cal City put together another solid performance this week to hold off a hot Toast team that scored triple digits. The Gilas were led by their monsterous defense, putting up 68 defensive points including both D-linemen in double digits. The Toast managed to outscore the Gilas on offense, but their 104pt performance was just not enough. In two games this season, Champaign has scored a total of 223pts against Cal City, good enough to come up on the short end both times.

Beavers pull off the Butt Sweep
The suddenly silent killer has struck again. Boston’s owner seems to know how to minimize his involvement in order to maximize team performance. His motto, “just score enough to win, baby”. The Monkeys have submitted to the Beavers twice this season, by a total of 5pts, and although it seemed like Boston’s Monday Night players didn’t have a good day, they got the job done scoring only what they had to in order to win. The Beavers find ways to win on a total team effort and had only one player in double digits this week, Clinton Portis, who needed 3 defensive points to pull off that feat. For Monee, it seems as though coaching mistakes have cost them some games this season, which may cause their team owner to make a change at season’s end. The fans are calling for the team to hire a coach that can get better production out of his players. The ability seems to be there; it might be that the missing piece to a championship run is hiring the right person to manage the starting lineup.

A Nugget in the Rough
The Nuggets owner had enough of the rough season his 1-7 team was having, so he decided to do something about it. All week he poked, jabbed, dinged, slammed and ridiculed, without compunction, the team from Compton and their owner. This unorthodox tactic seemed to work as the Nuggets went to Compton and got into the Kings heads just enough to eek out a 1pt victory. The win gives Las Vegas two on the season and a glimmer of hope that their luck might be turning enough to get out of the basement. Recently traded Donovan McNabb got back at his old team, leading the offensive scoring for the Nuggets. Meanwhile, Compton continued to have running back issues, with Steven Jackson scoring as much as the waterboy, and newly acquired LenDale White putting up as many points as years given to him in his new contract. Their QB situation is not much better, with Big Ben’s injury at halftime costing the Kings the game. Their 5-man QB monopoly on draft day seems to have dwindled down to 2 inconsistent, healthy ones down the stretch. This loss puts Compton just one game out of last place.

Bunnies cool off the Heat
Brian Westbrook couldn’t help Tempe this time as the Bunnies avenged their earlier season loss to the Heat to pull into a tie with them for first place. The rudderless Heat may now be showing signs of everything catching up with them, with a poor 70pt performance and only 18 defensive points. Carson City, on the other hand, is showing that it may be the top dog in the West, putting together a solid performance despite the benching of Payton Manning for Matt Schaub, who racked up -1pt before getting injured. Despite their QB issues, they were able to score 92pts, the highest total of any Western Conference team in Week 9. The Bunnies are now 4-1 against the West, with only one game remaining in conference.

WEEK 9 PREVIEW

BURGERS versus McNUGGETS
A lot of trash talking between the 2 worst teams in FFLA league history. The McNuggets feel they have a fighting chance against the team with the worst power ranking in the league. However, don't count the Burger Kings out yet, they still have 1 bullet left in the chamber. The Las Vegas McNuggets are feeling very confident this week, sending numerous threatening emails to the team owner of the Burger Kings. Talk is cheap Mr. Osborne, Sr., why don't you stop talking and start learning how to win Bagadouche!!!!

GILA MONSTERS EAT TOAST FOR BREAKFAST
The win streak will end for the Toast. I have no evidence to back this statement up. I just want Don to lose because his ego needs to be deflated. NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR #1 POWER RANKING.

BEAVERS AND BUTTS - Part Duex
The Beavers need to lose because his ego needs to be deflated also. Mr. Beavers wishes Tom and Steve were still in the league because he secretly loved to hate them. The Monkey Butts have been quiet this year and are on a 3 game losing streak. Can he turn it around against the Beavers? If he can't turn it around, I've heard of worse tragedies.

BUNNIES IN HEAT AGAIN
The Battle of the top 2 teams in the Western Conference. I hate both of them and wish they both would lose. Unfortunately, that is not possible so I don't really care what happens. All that matters is my team sucks and life ain't fair.

Week 8 Recap

Hang on to your Butts
The freefall continues for the men from Monee. With 3 players recording 0pts and two with 1pt this week, they managed just 65 total points and were doubled up by the Toast. Champaign set an FFLA scoring record this week with 139pts, 4pts short of both the offensive and defensive scoring records. Their offense alone managed to outscore the entire Monee team, with 5 players in double digits. The defense held up their end as well with 61pts, and the team seems to be clicking on all cylinders. This victory moves the Toast past the Butts for the first time this season.

What the hell?
Boston thought they had the game wrapped up with 3 men playing on Monday night, trailing by only 6. When the Beavers laid an egg on Monday, unable to score the measly 6pts they needed, the Gilas thought they sealed the victory. But the Beavers rose from the dead again with a scoring error correction that allowed them to slip past the Monsters for a 4pt victory. Back up the truck, the Monsters had one bullet left and used it on Philip Rivers’ scoring correction to beat the Beavers by 8. For now….

Bunnies do some housework
Carson City gets the series sweep over Compton, with a 21pt win. Same outcome but different story from Week 1 when the Bunnies used their powerhouse offense and Michael Turner to kill the Kings, Carson City put together a completely balanced attack this time around (56pts from both O and D) with only 3pts from Turner. Even though Compton actually had positive points from Favre this week, their team is still hurting from the loss of Larry Johnson and Steven Jackson and weak production from its wide receivers. Brandon Marshall was on a bye, but the Kings seem to be fading fast in the West as more dominant teams appear to be taking control of the division.

Who the heck needs a kicker
Someone forgot to tell Brian Westbrook this game was about the kickers. After a kicker controversy sent two team owners packing just hours before Sunday’s kickoff, the Nuggets hoped this was the beginning of the good luck they needed to turn their season around. Unfortunately, what the former Heat owner should have been concentrating on was the return of their star player, as Westbrook injected the offense with 25pts, sending them over the century mark for the first time since he left with injury. As weak as the Heat have been all season, they somehow remain in 1st place and as long as Westbrook stays healthy, could be tough to overtake down the stretch. For the Nuggets, the dream appears to be just about over for this season, they might need to start planning for 2009.

WEEK 8 NEWS AND PREVIEW

Drama Queen Week
The 2 most controversial team owners bail from the league over a bizarre rules dispute. The Team Owners of the Tempe Arizona Heat and the Calumet City Gila Monsters were up to their Shenanigans again late on a Thursday Night. Both teams were online attempting to outbid the Las Vegas Nuggets on a Kicker (Matt Bryant 4 years), when the Nuggets were able to submit a last minute bid for another Kicker (Jon Carney). This outraged the Heat Team Owner which set off a chain of events that led to the departure of both teams (BFF). The Gilas Monsters departure was mighty suspicious considering he built up $72.00 in cut fees that he never paid. Both teams were left behind in some serious cap and debt issues. Neither team has any flexibility and will have to finish the season with the roster that is currently in place. The future team owner who takes over this team will be at a disadvantage.

This negative news was followed up by some good news when an interim team owner (Pam Haug) was found to help manage the Tempe Arizona Heat for the remaining of the season. The Gilas Monsters Starting Roster will be submitted by Commissioner Soukup.

TOASTY BUTTS - THE SEQUEL
Will the Toast get revenge on the Monkey Butts? The Toast have a big advantage considering the Monkey Butts are going without their #1 running back Adrian Peterson and the Sackmaster Aaron Kampman. The Toast are going without running back Ryan Grant but he has been mostly a non-factor this year anyways. I'm predicting another victory for the Toast which would put him on a 5 game winning streak and the Monkey Butts on a 3 Game Losing Streak. The Toast started the season on a 3 game losing streak so no one predicted he would turn around such a dismal start. Toast by 7

NOT MUCH OF A RIVAL NOW
Beavers versus the Gilas would normally be a heated rivalry but without Tom Gunnum at the helm the Beavers have no one to smack talk. Commissioner Soukup will be running the Gilas roster and will be happy to run the #2 Power Ranked Team. The Beavers on the other hand have been getting lucky week after week and are ranked 4th in the Power Rankings. Matt Beavers is going with out Matt Forte this week and is at a disadvantage. Gilas by 11

BURGERS SERVED AT THE BUNNIE RANCH
The Burger Kings lost in the 1st meeting with the Bunnies and needs to get a win to move ahead in the standings. The Burger Kings are going without Brandon Marshall and Bernard Berrian. The Bunnies are missing 4 key defensive players (Jared Allen, Brian Urlacher, Champ Bailey and Nick Collins). It appears to be a close matchup but the Bunnies have been a a more consistent team this year and have the potential to score a lot of points. I think this game will come down to the wire. Bunnies by 3

LAS VEGAS NEEDS A WIN BAD
The Nuggets are 1-6 and will face the interim team owner Pam Haug this week. After Steve's official departure, the league just got a whole lot more competitive with Pam Haug at the helm. The new owner has little to work with, so her job performance will not be criticized heavily. The Nuggets are in dire need of a win and will stop at nothing to get one. Team Owner Don Osborne, Sr. was involved in the controvery surrounding the departure of 2 teams from the league and I believe this was his master plan all along. Nuggets by 6

Week 7 Recap

Crapped Out
The bad luck continues for the Nuggets. Going into the game with no options at QB, Romo’s decision to end his consecutive games played streak proved to be the difference. Despite a well balanced attack and 4 guys in double digits, they came up 8pts short, which would’ve been reachable had they been able to aquire Kyle Orton. The Toast on the other hand, are now running on a 4 game winning streak after their 0-3 start and have battled back into a 3-way tie for 2nd place in the East. Led by runaway train Brandon Jacobs they continue their top dog spot in the power rankings and would’ve reached triple digits again had they realized Philly was on a bye this week.


Carson City suffering from too much Beaver
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the team with the best record in the league through 7 weeks, YOUR Boston Beeeeevers! Who the hell would’ve predicted this one? With the most solid performance to date the Beavers have turned into a powerhouse, sporting 5 players in double digits and scoring a whopping 67 offensive points. Congratulations as well to Ben Watson for finally tallying his first points of the season in his 7th start. Carson City had no shot in this one, already dealing with Michael Turner’s bye week and going without an active kicker, they had to watch their #1 ranked offense lay a stink bomb at the hands of Payton Manning. Their faint Monday Night hopes were dashed quickly when Randy Moss decided to use Champ Bailey as his personal bitch, breaking out with 2 TD’s and his best game of the season.

Monster Mash – Ghetto Remix
Heavily favored Cal City went into Compton looking for an easy win against the beaten up Kings. They did manage to rattle Favre into a 0pt performance and rack up 65pts on the defensive end, however, their putrid offensive output was the difference. Drew Brees’ day wasn’t much better than Favre’s and the San Diego runningback combo proved to be a bad call, producing just 4pts combined. No player on the Gila offense managed to score more than 5pts. Compton’s acquisitions helped cement the victory with Dominic Rhodes matching the Gilas total offensive output and the return of Bernard Berrian leading the offensive attack. Despite the perceived notion that Compton is an awful place to visit, this marks just the first home victory for the Kings this year.


Burnin’ Butts
Apparently the Monee offense missed the team flight, or were left wandering the desert on the way to the game, as the Monkey Butts failed to field an active QB and kicker against Tempe. Offensive leader, Adrian Peterson, accidentally packed teammate Plaxico Burress’ jersey rather than his own for the trip, forcing game officials to eject him prior to the start of the game for impersonating a disgruntled wide receiver. Running 3 men short on offense all game, Monee struggled to score points which ultimately led to its demise, hitting an all-time low 59 total points. Despite not reaching 80pts and starting 2 men who scored 0, Tempe cruised to its 4th win and sole possession of 1st place in the Western Conference.

Week 7 Preview

Champaign at Las Vegas
The Toast are riding a 3 game winning streak as they travel to Nevada to take on the unlucky Nuggets. Both teams can score in bunches and rank in the upper half of the power rankings, however both are currently in sole possession of last place in their respective divisions. The Toast have righted their ship after losing their best player in week 1 and have battled back to the .500 mark, while the Nuggets have found themselves at the wrong poker table for most of the season, coming in at a league worst 1-5. Quarterbacks could be the difference in this one as Eli Manning is coming back to face the team that traded him away earlier in the season. The Nuggets could use him now that Romo is out with a pinkie and newly acquired McNabb is on bye. They are forced to look to Kyle Orton to at least get them through this week, but the way their luck has been going, this could be another tough week for the Nuggets.
Toast by 6

Carson City at Boston
The Beavers have been unusually quiet this week after a big win in Compton. Rumor has it that their team bus was overturned on their way outta Compton after the game and while no fatalities were reported, the Boston trainers had to work overtime this week to address the team’s medical needs. They hope their deadly Rivers/Portis/Forte combo will be healthy enough for the game to keep that Beaver Train a-rollin. The Bunnies come into the game with no Micheal Turner, which is a huge blow to their #1 ranked offense, however, the resurgence of Ronnie Brown and improving play of Payton might pick up the slack this week. Carson City holds a huge statistical advantage on paper, but you can never count out a lucky Beaver, especially at home.
Beavers by 1

Cal City at Compton
Word out of Calumet City this week is that a new support group has sprung up in the community: “The United Players Cut by Cal City”. Group founder of UPCCC, Leodis McLovin, a 2-time Cal City cut victim wanted to create a forum where former FFLA players that have experienced similar problems can go to share their thoughts and feelings. “I want them to know, they are not alone” McLovin said, “We all understand professional football is a business, but what some team owners don’t seem to understand is that what they see as turning a buck can negatively influence hundreds of people’s lives. Playing with my contract is like playing with my emotions.” McLovin also went on to say that he had a long, heart-to-heart chat with Bernard Berrian this week when the Gila Monsters decided to bid on him for a second time, after cutting him just 14 days ago. “I tried to warn him that there was a possibility of getting hurt again. Sometimes the love of the game blinds you from seeing the big picture. At least he is aware that when he gets cut again, our group will be here for him to get him through the pain.”
Cal City by 14

Monee at Tempe
The Heat have runningback issues (their best player Brian Westbrook is still dealing with injury problems) and wide receiver issues (traded away their best 2 WRs) and soon to have defensive line issues (looking to take on the Gila Monsters mistake and lock another 4 years up in a D-linemen). They are currently averaging 87 points per week, only 1 point more than the worst scoring team, and have not won since beating the Beavers in week 4. Despite all this, they currently sit in first place in the West with a tie-break over the Bunnies and in a league where a team averaging 10pts more than them has the worst record in the league, they are not in trouble by any means.
The Monkey Butts might be suffering from a hangover after they choked last week’s game and first place away on an Eric Wright INT on Monday night. Their QB position has been a concern all season and they finally decided to address it by cutting worthless Carson Palmer and picking up next-to-worthless Chad Pennington. Monee is also banged up in other areas; they are down to their last healthy TE, Shane Graham is hurt and their best defensive player, Charles Tillman, may not play this week. The Butts don’t have too many holes on their team, but if injuries continue to plague them, last week’s heartbreaker might be a sign of things to come.
Monee by 7