Super Bowl VIII

Last year's championship game came down to a Monday Night matchup and left the combatants in a tie. This year, the final game of the season went down to the Monday night wire too but a clear victor emerged. We probably could have seen this coming. Despite starting the season in a 0-3 hole with two very close losses, Vu's Battle Angels (briefly the Battle Nuggets) were the hottest team in the league by mid-season. After that rough start the Angels went 9-1 the rest of the way. The only loss during that time? A WK9 106-121 matchup with their Super Bowl opponent, the Chunky Monkeys.

So the stage was set for an epic battle between the always dangerous Monkeys and the upstart Angels. Evan and Vu are old high friends and were part of the original fantasy football wars that had drafts conducted on the baseball fields of Mt. Carmel. How far they've come. Since their early success our inaugural season, the Angels have suffered mostly down seasons so it was a bit of surprise this year when the Angels dominated. In fact, it could be argued that Vu's team had one of the most dominant CTDB seasons in history. While they weren't the highest scoring team (ten points behind the Monkeys) and faced a cakewalk schedule, the Angels had some of the best players of the year.

QB Drew Brees, our clear cut regular season MVP finished the year (including post-season) as the top rated quarterback. With a fierce passing attack that really started clicking after franchise stalwart Steve Smith came back in Week 3, the Angels mostly threw a run-and-shoot look at opponents. WRs Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings, and Smith all averaged 14+ points a game and were in the top ten of their position. The fourth receiver slot alternated between steady Derrick Mason (20th ranked receiver) and hot-and-cold veteran Isaac Bruce. The Ravens defense played tough all year and emerged as the top ranked squad. Even replacement Giants kicker John Carney was the third best at his position.

But what really made the Angels a formidable unit was when DeAngelo Williams replaced fading veterans Willis McGahee, Edgerrin James, and Rudi Johnson in the backfield. Williams scored 21, 25, 20, 33, 30, and 34 points in the last weeks of the season and completely dominated the competition. He even vaulted up to the absolute top of the RB rankings for the year in the final week, passing Matt Forte, Michael Turner, and Thomas Jones. If you're counting, that's the top ranked QB, RB, and defense, along with three premier WRs and a fantastic kicking game. No wonder the Angels dominated.

Their 113-104 Super Bowl victory wasn't a walk in the park however. Evan's Chunky Monkeys had a stellar lineup of his own and despite a semi-rough season, were more than capable of an upset. Despite not used to being the underdog, the Monkeys blasted out of the gates Thursday night with QB Peyton Manning's 36 points and three touchdowns. With a stable of running backs (LaDainian Tomlinson, Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, Pierre Thomas, Deshaun Foster) and big name receivers (Terrell Owens, Anquan Boldin, Vincent Jackson, and Chad Ocho Cinco), Evan's roster was no slouch.

By boldy sitting down Boldin and Forte, Evan showed his coaching savvy by going with red hot Pierre Thomas (four 20+ games in five weeks) and LDT in the backfield, while cutting Chad Ocho Cinco for WR Devin Hester, who had been sneaky consistent. By mid-Sunday, it looked like Evan's moves might pay off as all of his players scored in the low teens and gave him a nice lead on the Angels. But then it was Vu's turn to counter-punch. QB Drew Brees threw for 351 yards and 2 TDs in pursuit of Dan Marino's passing record. Isaac Bruce came through big time with 15 points. Andre Johnson and Steve Smith combined for only nine points but that didn't matter as DeAngelo Williams had a ridiculous four touchdowns and put up a monster 34 points.

Heading into Monday night, the Monkeys were up one (102-101) with Devin Hester to play versus Vu's Greg Jennings. Needless to say, Jennings came through big time, catching six balls for 38 yards and most importantly, a touchdown to put the Angels ahead for good. In a huge comeback, the Angels had vanquished the Monkeys, avenged their earlier loss, and became the eighth champions of the Catch the Damn Ball League (while finally giving the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses division another championship representative).

To Vu, a deserved and long awaited championship! No diggity, no doubt.

Undermonkeys!

For the first time in a long time, maybe since the inception of the league, the Monkeys find themselves looking up. Underdogs. Undermonkeys. In the days leading up to CTDB Superbowl VIII, "investors" no longer are able to just blindly with the Monkeys.

How the times have changed. The Battle Angels still hold the record for the WORST Season Power Ranking - 3. That means they were dead last in scoring, record and overall breakdown record. This was 2002. Meanwhile, the Monkeys have cruised through their first seven years. In their 2006 record breaking season, the Monkeys hold records for most points scored in a game, a season, most high scores, average per game score in a season and also highest average point differential in their wins in a season. In fact, when the Monkeys were 2-4 at Week 6 this year, it is believed that it was the first time in franchise history that the Monkeys had a sub .500 record. Ever.

This year, the Angels have turned it around. They hold the league's best win-loss record and are right behind the Monkeys (the Monkeys went on a 6 game winning and scoring spree after week 6). Led by potential league MVPs Drew Bree and DeAngelo Williams, the Angels have been running up scores left and right. Steve Smith and Andre Johnson are without a doubt, the best receiving tandem in the league.

This will be a tough match up for the Monkeys. With a number of potential starters dealing with game-time decision injuries (Boldin, Forte and Jackson), the odds don't look good for this team.

We'll find out in about 2 days.

Bam, Bazooka!

The first round of the playoffs was blowout central. First, the underdog Fat Jubas destroyed defending co-champs Gang Green by fifty-eight, 114 to 56. Led by a stiff defense (Colts D had 24 pts) and a big game by WR Brandon Marshall (26), the Jubas shut down Brett Favre, Brandon Jacobs, and Thomas Jones. The entire receiving corps for Gang Green only tallied nine points in the losing effort.

In the other division, the Dirty Birds asserted themselves with a fifty-six point victory (102-46) fueled by QB Jay Cutler's big day (25 pts), with many of those throws going to Larry Fitzgerald and Wes Welker (37 pts combined). The Jammers didn't put up much of a fight as only WR Dwayne Bowe managed double digits.

The Birds will take on the Monkeys for the divisional championship and on paper it looks like Evan's team has the slight edge. The biggest question facing his team is who will start at running back. Will Matt Forte and LaDainian Tomlinson be in the lineup or will the explosive Chris Johnson (24 pts last week) or late season surprise Pierre Thomas (22) sneak in a start? The Birds have their own RB quandary as the ice cold Steven Jackson will be replacing the injured Peyton Hillis. Of bigger concern for the Birds is who will start at the third WR position, since both Ted Ginn Jr. and Braylon Edwards aren't exactly on fire these days.

In the other divisional championship face-off, the leading contender for the crown, Vu's Battle Angels, haven't lost any steam during their bye week, throwing up huge numbers across the board despite being inactive. RB DeAngelo Williams will probably keep up his hot streak and the awesome receiving corps of Greg Jennings, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, and Derrick Mason (57 pts combined) will likely be just as effective. Oh right, and then there's QB Drew Brees. That's quite a handful.

The Jubas won't roll over easy however since they do have a lot of playoff history on their side and are no stranger to big upsets. They'll need RBs Frank Gore and Michael Turner to churn up the yards to open up the passing game for Kurt Warner and his three headed dragon (iguana?) of Brandon Marshall, Marques Colston, and Tony Gonzalez. While we can't say that an upset is in the cards, the Jubas are explosive enough to run the table.

We're looking forward to great matchups and a competitive game from both sides and then a HUGE Super Bowl.

Regular Season Recap

Somehow, the entire Inscrutable Drama Kings lost their games this week while the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses won all of theirs. In this year's battle for division bragging rights, it can be rightly said that the SMGs are the winner. After all, they boast the top two records in the league despite scoring slightly less than the IDK side. But history isn't made in the regular season. Even a regular season that featured extreme parity and balance.

Here's the big questions heading into the playoffs: Can the Battle Angels rise from the depths to claim their first championship? Can Gang Green repeat and capture their first solo crown? Or will the Drama Kings continue their dominance in the big game? If history tells us anything, it's the Tiiite End Jammers turn to be the next two-time champs, but with no dominant teams this year, the next few weeks will be extremely interesting.

TOP OF THE WORLD
Battle Angel (9-4)
Wrapping up the most successful season in franchise history is cause for celebration. It's been a long time coming as the Angels have been on a downslide recently and haven't posted a winning record since 2004. This year, they had a 8-1 record to close the season (after starting out 0-3), and had five and four game winning streaks. They've also scored 125 and 134 points in recent weeks and it's almost a shame they'll be on bye as they're clearly peaking.

Lacking a strong running game all season, Vu's team is suddenly bolstered by the emergence of RB DeAngelo Williams, who has posted 20+ points in four straight weeks. That takes some of the pressure off the fantastic aerial game that features QB Drew Brees slinging it all over the field to WRs Greg Jennings, Andre Johnson, and Steve Smith. We think the Angels are a clear threat for the championship and with their high octane offense, they could ignite their way right into the Super Bowl.

Chunky Monkeys (8-5)
Evan's worst season in the league still left him atop the standings at the end of the day in the Inscrutable Drama Kings Division -- while scoring the most points of any team. Since WK7, the Monkeys have gone 6-1 (the only loss coming in last week's meaningless regular season finale) and gone over the century mark five times.

While franchise stalwarts Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Terrell Owens have had their cold streaks this season, the emergence of rookies Matt Forte and Chris Johnson really helped to offset their slides. With WR Anquan Boldin fully healthy, and the underrated Vincent Jackon (replacing the entirely useless Chad Johnson) on board, the roster is loaded. So here's the story at the end of the day: The Monkeys are a top contender for the championship. Again.


THE CHALLENGERS
Gang Green (9-4)
Just like the real life New York Giants, Gang Green are coming off a surprising Super Bowl victory by tacking on a great regular season -- proving that maybe it shouldn't have been all that surprising. And now they're the hottest team in the league after winning five games in a row to close out the season. While the Greenies aren't as explosive as some of the other contenders, they are consistent, managing to post 90-110 points almost every week.

By taking a grind it out mentality behind New York RBs Brandon Jacobs and Thomas Jones, Gang Green punishes lazy opponents and grinds them into submission. The passing game is in good hands too, with deep threats Randy Moss and Bernard Berrian (replacing that idiot Plax) matching up nicely with the solid hands of Hines Ward. To be honest, Gang Green is probably going to go as far as QB Brett Favre can take them. Seeing as the Jets are Greg's favorite team, this seems to be poetic. J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets!

Fat Jubas (7-6)
At mid-season, the Jubas were 2-5 and seen to be out of the playoff picture. Since then however, the Jubas have posted five wins and their only loss was a blowout to the Monkeys in WK12. Now, the only champions to emerge from the SMG division is poised for a deep playoff run. It helps that they have two of the better RBs in the game in Michael Turner and Frank Gore. They aren't without some question marks though.

If the Jubas had a better all around season, QB Kurt Warner clearly would have been the league MVP. He's been absolutely amazing this year and was the highest scoring player. The question is who he's been throwing the ball to. Featured WRs Brandon Marshall and Marques Colston were erratic and injured, respectively. The search for an elusive third receiving threat took GM Eric to the depths of the free agent pool. Six different FA receivers were used in the lineup, none posting more than ten points total. At the end of the day, old stalwart Tony Gonzalez has been Warner's favorite target. If the Jubas are to get past Gang Green, they'll need at least one WR to step up.

Dirty Birds (7-6)
After jumping out to a 5-1 record to start the season, the Birds took a nosedive and lost three in a row. Scratching their way through the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs, they are determined to fight till the end defending their title. The good news is that the Birds haven't scored under 90 points in five weeks and have some explosive efforts on their side.

With the only change this year coming at the top in QB Jay Cutler, the Birds' strategy has remained mostly the same. The big difference is that they've lost their WR depth of last season in dramatic fashion. Plaxico Burress was traded away, Greg Jennings was released, and of the remaining options, only Larry Fitzgerald remained a top tier pass catcher. Wes Welker and Braylon Edwards both regressed, very badly in Edwards case. Still, with the explosive Adrian Peterson on-board and the return of Steven Jackson (along with the emergence of Peyton Hillis), the Birds do have an outside chance to become the first three time winner. Maybe.

Tiiite End Jammers (6-7)
The Jammers back doored their way into the playoffs. At mid-season, this publication declared them the runaway best team this year. Whoops. Since then, the Jammers have won just one game. After posting six century games through the first eight weeks, they've only gone over that mark once (in WK12). Without the collapse of Buffy and Ante Up, the Jammers could have easily missed the postseason. So, what happened?

The answer to that question is simple: injuries. Tony Romo took a few weeks off (but is now back and posting 30+ games), Joseph Addai was hurt, and there was a general let down by the receiving corps in the meantime. Dwayne Bowe and Lee Evans were decent, but Marvin Harrison and Chris Chambers were awful, and both veterans have since been cut. Luckily for the Jammers, the question of who will be that elusive third receiver has been solved by FA pickup Lance Moore, who has caught touchdowns in five straight games. Now if the running game of Clinton Portis (slowed last week by injury) and Joseph Addai can provide a few points, the Jammers are in great position for an upset.


SEE YA LATER
Philadelphia Phreaks (6-7)
Geezes, what the hell happened? The Phreaks were basking in the glow of a Phillies championship, their basketball team got Elton Brand, and Donovan McNabb was experiencing an early season resurgence. At the halfway mark, the Phreaks were number one and on their way to a post-season showing. Then they lost four in a row (all by very close margins) and sealed their fate. Another year, another high draft pick.

We're going to blame the receiving corps for this one, plus a slight side of mismanagement. The best performing WR on the roster, TJ Houshmandzadeh, inexplicably only played long enough to log eight points for the season. He averaged over ten points a game but Coach Ping never inserted him into the lineup -- and an extra 48 points is all that separated the Phreaks from a playoff spot. Santana Moss and Laveranues Coles went cold as ice during the back half of the season and rookie DeSean Jackson outperformed them both. And let's not even talk about Roy E. Williams, who got neutered when he was moved to Dallas.

At least the running game is in good hands. Even though first overall pick Darren McFadden failed to do much, he has the luxury of growing up behind steady RBs Marshawn Lynch and Maurice Jones-Drew. The big question facing Ping this off-season is whether or not McNabb will be worth a keeper slot and if the fan base will turn after such a big slide.

Fobsters (5-8)
Another early season favorite swooned and collapsed over the back half of the season. Sitting pretty at 4-3 just a few weeks ago, Jimmy's team went harakiri and lost the next six in a row. Coming off last year's resurgent season, that had to be a huge let down. The root cause might seem to be Tom Brady's season ending injury but in actuality, Aaron Rodgers was more than an adequate replacement.

The biggest culprit for the Fobsters slide might lie in their lack of team depth. Buoyed by Reggie Bush's amazing early season, the Fobsters were trampling foes and WR Calvin Johnson and TE Jason Witten were cream of the crop. Then Bush and Witten got hurt and it was all over. Lackluster replacements like Earnest Graham, Warrick Dunn, Muhsin Muhammad, Kellen Winslow, and Jerricho Cotchery, plus the inept work of Larry Johnson couldn't quite patch the hole. Still, it can't be said that GM Jimmy didn't give it his all, as injuries followed him all season long and with a few moves, the Fobsters could be back on top again.

Buffy (4-9)
It hasn't been easy for Buffy this season. Despite some fine individual performances, the chemistry was just off all season and they collapsed with four straight losses at the end, after never truly being in post-season contention. Facing the league's toughest schedule didn't help their cause any. The highlight of the year? A 91-81 victory over dreaded rival Chunky Monkeys...in Week One (they lost the rematch 120-138).

But all is not lost in Buffy-land because this roster has plenty of talent. In a true transition of the guard, long time stalwart Torry Holt is probably on his way out after a terrible season and a new crop of stars are ready to replace him. The trio of QB Philip Rivers, RB Marion Barber, and WR Roddy White should be solid for years to come. Willie Parker is a fine keeper once healthy and that means old timer Jamal Lewis is done. After suffering through a tough season with Carson Palmer, there's a good chance he'll be released too. After two straight losing season, Buffy should be on the upswing next year.

Ante Up (4-9)
The season began on such a high note after a stellar draft and two wins out of the gate. Then reality hit and Ante Up finished at 4-9 for the second year in a row. Eclipsing the 100+ mark just three times this season indicates that Jae's team needs an infusion of explosiveness. The good news is that Ante Up has a future star in rookie RB Steve Slaton, which was very necessary as the face of the franchise, Brian Westbrook, can't be relied on to stay injury free.

Overall, the team just lacked star power. WR Reggie Wayne was decent, but hardly broke out, catching just 68 balls and 5 TDs. Donald Driver has been supplanted by Greg Jennings as Green Bay's best receiver, and Santonio Holmes wasn't a sleeper, he just slept. With injuries to Ben Roethlisberger early on, the QB carousel of Jake Delhomme, Tyler Thigpen, and Matt Cassel failed to provide dividends.

GM Jae went through lots of free agents in an attempt to find some help for his squad but came up empty. A for effort but a D for execution. The good news is that next year should provided a nice clean slate, the number one overall pick, and more of Steve Slaton.

Final Standings 2008

Standings 2001-2007

Note: These standings include post-season records, each regular season was only be 13 games long.

Mid-Season Review: Part 2

The Inscrutable Drama Kings took offense at being called the weaker division and have really pulled themselves together over the last few weeks to boast the top two teams in the league again. There's been a change at the top as the Dirty Birds are losing some steam and the Tiiite End Jammers are making quite a resurgence this year. Let's start at the top.

Tiiite End Jammers (5-3)
Making a case for the runaway best team this year, the Jammers are slightly underrated as they've faced the toughest schedule in the league and still have the best record and most points scored. Look at this. The Jammers have gone over the century mark six times already (five in a row and counting) and have ripped off four straight wins. Their losses have come when scoring 109, 95, and 107. They finished 5-8 last year but that was after a weak 1-7 start. This time around, Lei's team is making their case to become another repeat champion. Strangely, if they pull it off, it will be Buffy-Dirty Birds-Jammers winning in the exact same order yet again. Deja vu?

The Jammers are being powered behind mid-season MVP Clinton Portis and a very deep collection of receivers in Lee Evans, Dwayne Bowe, Marvin Harrison, and Chris Chambers. The recent injury to Tony Romo is a cause for concern but he'll be back in two weeks and for now, Matt Schaub is more than serviceable. Heck, Romo may have to play his way into the lineup as Schaub has been outstanding recently. The combined 2nd RB attack of Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes has yet to really gain traction but with Addai now injured, it's probably better for Rhodes to get most of the work.

Unless something dramatic happens, we don't see the Jammers conceding much ground at the top.

Dirty Birds (5-3)
Things were looking so much better for the Birds two weeks ago when they were 5-1 and sky high. Two losses later and they've gone into slight panic mode. Granted, one of those losses was a 133-127 shootout with the Jammers, but last week's poor showing against the moribund Fat Jubas wasn't very impressive. So what's going on exactly?

Well, the Birds are having a bit of a problem finding their passing game. Larry Fitzgerald and Wes Welker have been steady but Jay Cutler and Braylon Edwards have been a bit weak. Cutler started the season red hot but has now cooled off and Braylon started the season ice cold, had one outstanding week, and decided to start dropping balls again. The good news is that Steven Jackson broke out recently and Adrian Peterson has had three 20+ games. If Cutler can pick up his game and Edwards heads to the bench (or picks it up), the Birds are still a strong contender.

Chunky Monkeys (4-4)
Don't look now but the Monkeys are slowly creeping back into the picture. After suffering through the worst start in franchise history, Evan's team is on a bit of a roll with two victories and two century games in a row. In fact, they took a wild 138-120 shootout this past week against perpetual nemesis Buffy and that had to feel good. There's been a lot of talk about LaDainian Tomlinson's decline but that's been all hogwash as he looks primed for a huge second half.

The running game would probably be just fine without LDT if it came to it, behind stellar rookies Matt Forte and Chris Johnson. All that buzz about the Monkeys losing their two back attack? Well how about a three back attack? They have two top five backs in LDT and Matt Forte and Chris Johnson is currently ranked at #9 and climbing the charts. Someone break out the wishbone!

QB Peyton Manning is in fine form again and he's finding the now healthy Anquan Boldin to be an excellent target. The recent slump of Terrell Owens is a concern but once Romo gets back, TO will be just fine. Chad Johnson might be done for (especially with Carson Palmer out) but Charger Vincent Jackson has had three straight good games so that third receiver slot is in good hands. The Monkeys are only one game back after suffering through "the worst." Uh-oh.

Buffy (3-5)
It's been a rough go of it for Buffy this year. After an encouraging 103-93 win in WK6, they've been slammed by two 130+ opponents and a pair of losses, dropping them out of the playoff picture for a moment. Then again, they've taken two big uppercuts and are still standing. It can't hurt that their power trio of Philip Rivers, Marion Barber, and Roddy White are the number one QB, number two RB, and number one WR respectively. If you want to get real fancy, Antonio Gates is the second ranked TE also.

There's certainly a case for Roger's team to be one of the best teams this year, even if they're suffering from a a bit of depth issues. No clear number two back has been found to complement Barber and Buffy's best bet might be sticking with steady but unspectacular Jamal Lewis until Willie Parker returns from injury. And as for venerable Buffy stalwart Torry Holt, it might be time to call it a career as he's been absolutely terrible. Even boom/bust free agent find Kevin Walter would be a huge upgrade. And as for QB Carson Palmer, see ya, have a good 2008 at home. It's looking like a serious four horse race in the division for only three spots, who will be the odd team out?

Ante Up (2-6)
How quickly a 2-0 start looks like a lifetime ago. With six straight losses and the worst PF in the league, Ante Up is suddenly looking very vulnerable. Or maybe it's the schedule, as they've faced six straight opponents who have gone over the century mark. And Ante Up have been putting up a steady diet of 90+ games after a somewhat uneven start. There might be hope yet for a strong second half.

In order for that to happen though, there will have to be some more accountability from the QB position. Ben Roethlisberger has been erratic and it may be time to look into a replacement. Free agents like Jason Campbell, Chad Pennington, David Garrard, and even JT O'Sullivan are outpacing Big Ben. The great news for Jae's team is that Brian Westbrook is back and tore it up last weekend. With rookie sensation Steve Slaton playing well, the running game is in good hands. Now if WRs Reggie Wayne (back to back 3 point games) and Donald Driver (8 and 5 last two games) can get their act together, there will be a chance for Ante Up to get out of the cellar.

Mid-Season Review: Part 1

The Phreaks are number one! It's been awhile since Ping's team has sat in the driver's seat and while it's mostly a tie-breaker thing, there the Phreaks are atop the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses Division. In fact, there are actually no clear cut favorites here as the top four teams are all 4-3 and separated by only 19 Points For between them. Plus, the last place team could soon be headed upwards. This is truly the division that's making it all happen this year. Let's take a look at what's been going on.

Philadelphia Phreaks (4-3)
The Phreaks are the only team in their division to have played the majority of their games against the other division. They've feasted on the Inscrutable Drama Kings by winning three of four games. Now their schedule turns to divisonal foes and it's going to be a much tougher road.

Powered by the RB duo of Marshawn Lynch and Maurice Jones-Drew, the Phreaks have found a steady ground game. Their one limiting factor is that QB Donovan McNabb isn't finding the right receivers. TJ Houshmandzadeh has been a steady WR but he's only put up 8 points for the Phreaks because he's always on the bench. Big play guys like Santana Moss and Laveranues Coles have had only one big (no, huge) game each. At least rookie WR DeSean Jackson has been playing very well (four weeks of double digit points). The question now is which Roy E. Williams will show up the rest of the season now that he's a Cowboy?

But why complain too much when the Phreaks are the third highest scoring team in the league and coming off of back to back century games? This might be the year for the Phreaks to capture their first ever divisonal title. Then Philly fans will have something to celebrate!

Fobsters (4-3)
Talk about a turnaround. From the time that Jimmy's team went winless two years ago, they've been compiling talent and wins at a breakneck pace. This year, they started out 4-1 on the strength of three century games and were looking like the runaway favorite in their division. Replacing Tom Brady with Aaron Rodgers was a great move (Rogers is top three overall right now) and Reggie Bush emerged as a solid number one back, finally.

But then came this week's 50-76 clunker against the defending co-champs Gang Green. And then the news that Reggie Bush would be out at least a month, which places him for a comeback around the playoffs. Without Bush, is there enough on this roster to even get the Fobsters there?

Well, the Fobsters do have some good receivers to work with in Calvin Johnson, Jason Witten, and Jerricho Cotchery. All of them are above average options and to be honest, Jason Witten has been amazing (four of seven games over 12+ points). RB Earnest Graham has been steady but the biggest issue is who will replace Bush? Is his real life backup, Deuce McAllister, up to the task? We're pretty sure that Larry Johnson won't be able to pick up the slack from the bench. But he is good at assaulting/spitting on women.

Battle Angel (4-3)
This is it, the hottest team in the league right now. After stumbling out of the gates with three straight losses (albeit very close losses), Vu's team has picked it up dramatically and ripped off four wins in a row, including a stretch with three straight century games. The biggest change? Ditching the running game. After suffering through a few weeks of the Laurence Maroney experience (now thankfully placed on IR), the team tried out Chargers backup Darren Sproles to little success as the #2 man in the backfield. Rudi Johnson and Edgerrin James weren't really the answer either. So Coach Vu ditched the run and took to the air!

Thirty-six year old Isaac Bruce has entered the lineup to turn this offense into a run-and-shoot and while he's slowed down a bit recently, his savvy experience has opened up the game for star WRs Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings, and Steve Smith. Actually, the return of Steve Smith might be the reason for the Angel's success. He's scored 9, 19, 12, 14, 21 since WK2. And Greg Jennings is proving that he doesn't need Brett Favre to succeed as he's averaging 15.1 pts a game and is the top pass catcher in the game. With super accurate QB Drew Brees slinging the ball, look for the Angels to keep flying high for the rest of the season -- especially if their lone good RB, Willis McGahee, is back to form.

Gang Green (4-3)
There's no keeping a good team down. Just when it looked like Greg's championship defense might be over soon after a 1-3 start, he takes three straight games and is now back in contention. They even had a season high 152 points in WK5 on the strength of Brett Favre's 48 point carryover (although they did lose the week before when he actually threw six TDs). Now imagine if Greg had used Ronnie Brown for his 42 point explosion and subsequent carryover.

As always, Gang Green is winning by using a balanced lineup that features solid players at every position. RBs Brandon Jacobs, Ronnie Brown, and Thomas Jones are all quietly solid options and push out about fourteen points a game. Randy Moss is certainly headed for a less than jaw dropping year but he's still got three big games this year and being lazy isn't negative points yet in our league. His fellow receivers Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward are doing their usual quality work and on the horizon is Bernard Berrian, who has scored 20, 22, 17 in recent weeks. Four quality options is a good problem to have.

The one thing here is that it might be time for a change at the top. Brett Favre has been horrendous recently and that other New York QB, Eli Manning, has been playing just a tad bit better. Actually, it might behoove Gang Green to get another signal caller altogether. Still, the champs are looking strong again and fighting hard for a playoff spot. Looks like the championship curse is clearly over after the 2006 and 2007 champs returned to fight strong the following year.

Fat Jubas (2-5)
The Jubas should be having a good season. RBs Frank Gore and Michael Turner are both top ten and QB Kurt Warner is throwing the ball everywhere (five straight weeks of 20+). So what's causing the team so many problems? The last four weeks has presented Eric's team with four scores below 90 and it hasn't been getting much better. Looking over the roster, the answer is obvious. There's no functional receivers here. Brandon Marshall and the Broncos have dramatically cooled down, Tony Gonzalez wants out, and Marques Colston returned but didn't catch a pass last week. Oh and Joey Galloway and Jeremy Shockey are still injured. And um, cut.

On paper, the Jubas are just fine, especially if Colston and Marshall return to form. With a balanced team all around, they should be moving up the charts soon, instead of embroiled in a four game slide. Amazingly, I think the record shows that the Jubas have gone through five defenses this season (Ravens, Dolphins, Chiefs, Panthers, and now the Steelers). That must be a record.

He beat me...Straight up...

Here's the question, is strength of schedule the hidden key to a successful season? It's much easier to win when your opponent sucks right? The general consensus if that if you face a soft schedule, you're likely on your way to a winning record. Well, let's take a look shall we?

Well, that rule gets upended right from our first season in 2001 as the four teams with the easiest schedule went a combined 21-32 -- compared to 35-24 for the four toughest schedules in the league. Only TAGHeuer (now the Phreaks) snuck into the playoffs, albeit with a 6-7 record. In addition, that year the Battle Angels had the hardest schedule in the league (opponents averaged 94.2 pts) but still emerged with a 8-6 record, won the division title, and advanced to the Super Bowl.

Well, that was our first year, it must have been an aberration right?

Not so fast. In 2002, the very next year, the Flaming Shrapnel had the exact same scenario happen to them. Despite facing the toughest schedule in the league (opponents averaged 100.1 pts), they went 8-7, won the division, and barely lost in the playoffs. In addition, the Jammers went 7-6, snuck into the playoffs, and upset the Monkeys in their first playoff game. All while facing the second toughest schedule in the league. The four hardest scheduled teams that year went 26-31 while the four easiest had a combined 29-26 record (much of that skewed by the Dirty Bird's 12-3 record). Again, no clear advantage to having a soft schedule.

Let's also take a look to see if there are any trends. For example, are the league leaders and top contenders consistently facing the easiest schedules? Well, the Birds had a softy schedule in 2002 on their way to a dominant championship run. Then they had the easiest schedule again the next year but tanked to 5-8. The champs from that year, the Jammers, faced a middle of the pack schedule and dominated on their way to 13-2.

Actually, 2004 was another crazy year. The Battle Angels went 9-6 while facing the second hardest schedule in the league. And Buffy went 9-7 during their second championship run despite fighting against the toughest schedule ever (101.69 pt avg). In addition to all that, all three playoff teams from the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses division had harder schedules than their compatriots who didn't make the cut. By a wide margin too.

The only year where things seemed to fall along the "soft schedule equals wins" was 2005. Ante Up and Green Team both won divisional crowns (Ante Up by a wide margin) by feasting on the two of the three easiest schedules in the league. The three toughest schedules that year combined for a 12-20 record and were the three worst teams in the league. Looking at the four easiest versus toughest schedules, we see a clear difference as the easiest scheduled teams went 34-18 and the four toughest stumbled to 17-34-1.

For our last two years, the trend has been for the Spunky Misunderstood division leader to face a relatively easy schedule (Fat Jubas and Gang Green) while the Inscrutable Drama Kings' leaders have faced tough opponents (Chunky Monkeys and Dirty Birds). The blip is that the two Inscrutable Drama King winners have compiled records of 14-1 and 12-3-1 while playing the "rough" side of the slate.

Another strange trend, the ability of a second place team to pile drive their way through a tough schedule is highlighted in 2006 as Buffy and the Phreaks both squeaked out winning records on their way to the playoffs. In our last full season, the three worst teams all were crushed by tough records. So far this season? Well, it looks like the same thing is happening: We have no idea.

Perhaps the answer isn't to look at who's been having tough schedules but who's been putting up the most points? As we've proved by looking over the stats, there is hardly any correlation between an easy schedule and team success. In fact, sometimes it helps to face tough opponents. Basically if your team is good, you will win regardless of who you're facing. Wait, was this obvious already?

One last tidbit, no winning team has ever put up less points than their opponents, although a few have come very close (Shrapel in 2002, Ante Up in 2003, Phreaks in 2006). So the answer is that you still gotta score baby!

Game of the Week

In a matchup of two teams atop their division with 2-1 records (although there are 6 total teams with the same record, after all, it’s only week 4!, Fobsters and Buffy look to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Someone will emerge victorious and it is anyone’s game. Both teams are lead by young QBs, Aaron Rodgers (after the loss of Tom Brady) for the Fobsters and Philip Rivers (after the poor showing by Carson Palmer) for Buffy. What Philip Rivers doesn't know yet is that he will be back on the bench in favor of Palmer, who is looking to throw for over 400 yards with at least 3 TDs this week.

The running styles of the two teams are very different; Fobsters' Reggie Bush and Earnest Graham make for a finesse type running tandem whereas this week's starters for Buffy, Marion Barber and Jamal Lewis are very physical and will be looking to pound the ball down the throat of the defense. Both teams are armed with capable receivers as well as the top two tight-ends in the league.

We'll keep this short and sweet, Buffy by 3.

Early Season Review: Part 2

What has Monkey GM Evan been crowing about the last few years? Realignment? Because the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses were too weak? Well how the pendulum swings! Granted, it's early, but the SMGs have come out gunning, with 3 geniuses sitting atop the power rankings. Let's take a look:

FOBSTERS (2-1):
Last year's surprise team is hurting early, as Golden Boy Tom Brady goes down in the 1st game of the season. Well they've scrambled well, picking up Matt "This isn't High School" Cassell and new Lambeau Lifer Aaron Rodgers. After the tough loss to start out the season, the Brady Bunch has rallied around Human Highlight Reggie Bush and Calvin Megatron to carve out the top place on the power rankings. Can they survive keeping 3 QBs on staff?

FAT JUBAS (2-1):
133-40. With a near record (114 pts by Phreaks over Green in 04) 93 point victory in week 3 over Ante Up, the Fat Jubas have served notice that this isn't the same Juba team. Even more amazingly, the Jubas have done this with three ineffective keepers, as Marques Colston and Ryan Grant are dinged up and Derek Anderson is suffering from ineptitude. No matter. Led by a trio of former Monkeys, the Jubas feature a devastating RB combo of Frank Gore and Turner the Burner along with The Marshall at wide. The addition of ageless pickup Kurt Warner means the Jubas only need to secure a few extra solid players to be a contender.

PHILADEPHIA PHREAKS (2-1):
The oft-cursed Phreaks are flying high! With McNabb back under center and looking as good as ever, the Phreaks are solid from top to bottom. Mojo and Marshawn pack a huge punch, while 1st pick rookie Darren McFadden looks like he's on the verge of exploding. DeSean Jackson, another pleasant rookie surprise, stars at wide receiver despite a boneheaded early celebration in a game the Phreaks weren't close in anyway. Once Roy Williams starts kicking it in gear, watch out. But will the Phreaks injury curse hit them this year?

GREEN TEAM (1-2):
The defending co-champs are having a rough go of it in the early going. After a convincing win over division rival Fat Jubas to kick off the season, the Green Team has sputtered, losing big to the other division leaders. What looked like such a dominant WR core to start off the season suddenly looks vulnerable, with Randy Moss reverting to bad Randy and Plaxico getting suspended for unspecified reasons. At least Hines Ward is doing his part, turning back the clock. The running backs are still solid, with Frankenstein and Thomas Jones leading the way, but sitting Ronnie Brown for his 42 point explosion hurts.

BATTLE ANGEL (0-3):
Luck hasn't been on the side of the only winless team in the league, with losses of 5 and 11 points to start out the season. Highlights have been hard to come by for the Angel, with Drew Brees and Greg Jennings the only consistent performers. But all is not gloom and doom here, as the solid WR combo of Jennings and Andre Johnson has just been bolstered by the return of Steve Smith from suspension. The acquisition of dynamite Darren Sproles shows that GM Vu is desperately trying to inject some life into his team (since starting RBs Willis McGahee and Laurence Maroney have been terrible), but will it be enough?

Early Season Review: Part 1

It's early season review time. Sure, Week Three is a bit early to start thinking championships but everyone can smell it, this is a year of big changes in the NFL. For one, Tom Brady and the Patriots are sinking, and old fantasy stalwarts are fading away. The top three quarterbacks in the land? Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler, and Aaron Rodgers. The top running backs are Marion Barber, Michael Turner, and Reggie Bush. And how is Brandon Marshall the top receiver despite playing just two games? Because he's the second coming, that's how!

And most of all, the Chunky Monkeys are in last place. What?! Read on for details. Let's go!

Dirty Birds (2-1)
The reigning co-champs have started off their repeat effort quite nicely. They might even have been undefeated if not for a WK1 four point loss to Ante Up. They haven't collectively suffered from a post-championship letdown but that's mainly due to the efforts of new QB Jay Cutler. Cutler has been averaging 30 points a game to start the season and has emerged as this young season's best player.

The rest of the squad hasn't exactly come of the gates on fire. Larry Fitzgerald and Adrian Peterson have been averaging about a dozen points each but Steven Jackson, Braylon Edwards, and Wes Welker have been disappointments so far. With Tom Brady's injury, Welker's stock has dropped dramatically. Perhaps the Birds chose, yet again, the wrong receiver to trade away? Rookie RB Felix Jones has some promise but he's squarely the number two behind Marion Barber. Still, until someone knocks them down a few notches, the Birds have started off the season right.

Buffy (2-1)
Roger's team has moved up near the top of the standings on the strength of two close wins. A ten pointer versus the Monkeys in WK1 (Don't they always beat the Monkeys?) and a one point squeaker versus the Jammers last week. Led by the smash mouth running of Marion Barber (21 pt avg) and support from Roddy White (11 avg) and Antonio Gates (9 avg), Buffy is looking pretty good in the early going. They'd be doing downright great if they hadn't suffered through two weeks with Carson Palmer at the helm. Backup Philip Rivers tallied sixty five points in the two weeks Palmer was totaling five. Now it's Rivers versus Palmer as both had excellent third weeks.

Willie Parker did just get injured but Jamal Lewis and/or Lendale White should be able to pick up the slack. It might actually be better for Buffy because aside from Parker's Week One 31 point explosion, he's done nothing. Is it fair to call Torry Holt's best days over and done with? Can this Buffy stalwart find his game for one last great season?

Ante Up (2-1)
For awhile there, Ante Up was undefeated and blowing the socks off opponents. Then came last week's 97 point drubbing at the hands of the Fat Jubas. You read that right, ninety seven points. Has there been a larger margin of victory in our history? Whatever, chalk it up to an aberration. Ante Up has been playing well aside from that.

Brian Westbrook (17 avg), Reggie Wayne (13 avg) and Ben Roethlisberger (17 and 15 for two weeks) have given the team solid performances all around. Last week was a killer though. Westbrook got hurt, Big Ben got annihilated and then hurt, and the team put up only forty total points.

The injury to Westbrook won't hurt that much though, as Jae had wisely bookended Correll Buckhalter. Even then, young backs Jonathan Stewart and Steve Slaton have shown flashes of promise with Stewart racking up the TDs while Slaton slashes for yards. Again, great drafting this year. Ante Up has been winning with a balanced attack and while Donald Driver and Anthony Gonzalez could step up their games a little bit, they've been doing decent. The big question will be who replaces Roethlisberger as the quarterback? As of this writing, no QB has been selected off the waiver wire yet.

Tiiite End Jammers (1-2)
The Jammers have not been having a lucky go of it. They started off with a five point victory in WK1, then a loss despite scoring over a hundred in WK2, and then a one point collapse in WK3. Things look really good for the Jammers though, as their roster seems to be quite deep. The passing attack of Tony Romo (23 avg) and his army of receivers leads the way. That mob includes Marvin Harrison, Dwayne Bowe, Lee Evans, Chris Chambers, Brandon Lloyd, Justin Gage, and Deion Branch.

Chambers and Bowe are proving to be top tier receivers, both averaging more than a dozen points per game. The team is still waiting on a solid third receiver to emerge, and the hope is that it's a return to form by Marvin Harrison. If he can't pull it off, there's surely someone who can among this plethora of talent.

Clinton Portis and Joseph Addai anchor the running game and they've been okay, but not amazing. If they can kick it up a notch, the Jammers have everything else in place for a march up the standings. Now if only Lady Luck would give them a break.

Chunky Monkeys (1-2)
I've been waiting to write the following sentence for seven years: "The Monkeys are in last place!" Okay okay. Cheap shot. But seriously, when Goliath slips, even for an instant, it's news worthy. When the Monkeys lost in WK1 to arch-nemesis Buffy, it probably marked the first time they'd ever been under 0.500 in their history. A 130 point performance in WK2 quieted the critics but then they sputtered in WK3 with a weak performance and yet another loss. What's going on here? The Monkeys have never been in last place, or even anywhere near last place.

Nobody should get too excited here because Evan's not going anywhere this season. They still have one of the best rosters in the league and added even more weapons through the draft. RBs Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, and Julius Jones have all outperformed LaDainian Tomlinson (more an indication of his slow start, but still). The pre-season question of "Who will fill Larry Johnson's shoes?" seems to have been answered pretty quickly. Credit Evan's savvy running back drafting eye.

To be honest, the Monkeys are still putting up points, albeit inconsistently. Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Terrell Owens have had up and down weeks. Manning especially has been less than stellar and looks like he's still injured. Then again, Anquan Boldin already has four TDs on the year (19 avg), rookie Matt Forte is the truth (19 avg), and almost everyone else on the roster averages at least ten points a game, excepting Edgerrin James and the highly disappointing Chad Ocho Cinco. Would Evan have traded LJ away in retrospect? Should he have just held onto Brandon Marshall?

While many people are rejoicing at the Monkey's slight downfall, they're also keeping quiet because this is a machine that's just starting out slowly. No way Manning, Owens, and Tomlinson don't pick it up soon. Add in Boldin, Forte and whoever can step up, the Monkeys might just as easily go undefeated the rest of the way. For now though, the peasants rejoice!

Grading the 08 Draft

Another year, another supplemental draft in the books. Once again, it was a draft filled with youngsters and hope. Most interestingly, all of the teams who picked early last year now flipped around and picked near the end this year. Worst to first or something like that. There's a lot of storied franchises needing some resurrection and it looks like this might be the year for them to recapture some glory. A day before the 2008 season begins, let's take a look at how everything worked out.

1. Phreaks
Despite finishing last season with just two wins, the Phreaks have a good keeper core. All the marquee spots are filled with top ten quality players and adding RB Darren McFadden will only enhance a roster that already has Marshawn Lynch and Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield. We really like Laveranues Coles and/or Santana Moss as the third receiver, drafted in Rd2 and Rd3, to complement TJ Houshmandzadeh and Roy Williams. The rest of the Phreaks draft consisted of surrounding long time franchise QB Donovan McNabb with his real life teammates. RB Lorenzo Booker, rookie WR DeSean Jackon, and Eagles Def and K David Akers. We love loving your favorite team but isn't this a bit crazy? Then again, it's hard to argue that Booker and Jackson don't have some potential so maybe Ping just wants to insure he gets the next Eagles' star. We're looking for the Phreaks to make some moves up the standings this season behind an already strong keeper core and some wise draft investments.
Grade: B+

2. Ante Up
Ante Up finally severed ties with the face of the franchise for many years, Edgerrin James, and the search is on to find his replacement in the backfield. RB Brian Westbrook is still a top three back and his injury issues are mostly a thing of the past. Who will play next to him though? Jae wisely handcuffed keeper RB Selvin Young with Rd4 pickup Andre Hall. Along the way, he also drafted rookie RBs Jonathan Stewart and Steve Slaton. Stewart is being touted as a potential Rookie of the Year and Slaton might be the dark horse in Houston. One of the three should hit, hopefully. WR Anthony Gonzalez is being hailed as a breakout candidate and Ante Up already has Reggie Wayne on board. Keepers Donald Driver and Santonio Holmes are both quality starters and Gonzalez will be able to take his time cracking the lineup. Add in Big Ben Roethlisberger as the QB and Jae looks like he's set for the near future.
Grade: A-

3. Battle Angels
We've already covered Vu's team this off-season and come up with the conclusion that their core keepers are the best they've ever had. Two top five WRs in Steve Smith and Andre Johnson, a premier QB in Drew Brees, and enough in the backfield (Willis McGahee and Laurence Maroney) to complete the circle. So what did they need? And more importantly, what did they get? The backup RB spots are looking fine despite the downgrade of new Lion Rudi Johnson. DeAngelo Williams is the starter in Carolina and looks good so far. The third receiver spot should be okay too. Even if Greg Jennings can't continue his success post-Favre, Bernard Berrian or Derrick Mason should be able to pick up the slack. All in all, the Angels are looking better than they ever have and they hope to have a rebound year.
Grade: B-


4. Tiiite End Jammers
Talk about a reversal of strategy. Last year, Lei drafted no WRs on his way to acquiring a glut of running backs and two keepers, Clinton Portis and Tony Romo. This year he's got the running game and drafted only wide receivers. Dwayne Bowe, Lee Evans, Chris Chambers, Justin Gage, and Ted Ginn Jr will fight it out with current stalwarts Marvin Harrison and Javon Walker. To be honest, the Jammers probably did the right thing here. Marvin is slowing down and nobody knows what Javon is capable of anymore. Bowe, Evans, and Chambers are all number one receivers on their teams and when your backfield is already filled with Tony Romo, Joseph Addai, and Clinton Portis, all you need are WRs right?
Grade: B

5. Fat Jubas
The pundits really like what the Jubas have done with their draft and that's mainly for one reason: WR Brandon Marshall. I'm not sure how Brandon Marshall slipped to number five in the draft, or even why he wasn't a keeper, but he's very likely a bonafide receiving star. With RBs Frank Gore, Ryan Grant, and Michael Turner tabbed as keepers, Eric needed another WR to pair with Marques Colston. Marshall should be that guy. The third WR slot will go to either of two vets, Tony Gonzalez or Joey Galloway, and then it's all upside picks from there with rookie Lions RB Kevin Smith and second year Vikings WR Sidney Rice. If QB Derek Anderson can maintain his production of last year, the Jubas will recover quickly from a down year.
Grade: B+

6. Buffy
Roger's team is undergoing a transitional period. The only player left from championships past is WR Torry Holt, who is noticeably slowing down. The new running backs are Marion Barber, Willie Parker, and Jamal Lewis. All three are serviceable but hardly franchise RBs yet (or ever?). That's why drafting Roddy White and Antonio Gates might prove to be very important for Buffy. Both are quality players that will flesh out the roster and give QB Carson Palmer someone to throw the ball to. Buffy collected the Patriots Def early on (Rd4) and got a few players with not much hope for stardom, RB Lendale White, underachieving WR Jerry Porter, and late round filler WR DJ Hackett. This team will need to find an identity soon, and hope that Marion Barber can emerge as a franchise type runner.
Grade: C+

7. Fobsters
This was a weird draft. The Fobsters moved Chad Ocho Cinco right before he got injured, getting a mercurial Larry Johnson back in return. That might turn out to be the steal of the year as Chad looks like he's headed for a season of turmoil. Larry Johnson was once a premier back but now he's a mystery with a past history of explosiveness. With Reggie Bush and Earnest Graham also on board, the Fobsters needed WRs to complement last year's number one pick, WR Calvin Johnson. The question is then, why did they only select Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Witten, and Patrick Clayton? Witten and Clayton are on the same team and it's doubtful that both will get enough touches to be serviceable. And was going for Vikings Def in Rd4 really necessary? Regardless, the Fobsters' season will depend on how well the running back trio pans out and if Tom Brady can maintain his elite status.
Grade: C-

8. Chunky Monkeys
Finally, a chink in the Monkey's armor. They enter the season without two stud running backs for the first time in their history. The trade off is that their WR corps looks stronger than ever behind Terrell Owens, Anquan Boldin, and Chad Johnson. But, Chad is hurt and possibly facing a tumultuous season, and he might not have been worth giving up Larry Johnson. Then again, GM Evan has proven to be excellent at unearthing RBs. This year, he will gamble with rookies Matt Forte and Chris Johnson, and newly annointed Bengals starter Chris Perry. Let's not forget old timer Edgerrin James, who might still get a few yards. So losing Larry Johnson might not hurt after all, with five RBs on staff who will be starters opening day. WR Vincent Jackson will probably fill in for Chad while he's hurt and give Evan some Chargers representation. The strangest move by the Monkeys was the drafting of a backup QB, Matt Schaub. Is the worry that this is the year Peyton can't be an ironman? Will the world explode if Peyton doesn't line up under center for the Monkeys?
Grade: B+

9. Gang Green
As a co-champion and eternal contender, Gang Green deserves respect. However, they have a tendency to draft RBs with not much upside with their first pick. Last year it was Cedric Benson, this year it's Thomas Jones. There's certainly a need for another RB to complement injury prone Brandon Jacobs and Ronnie Brown but Jones doesn't look like the answer. Maybe rookie RB Ray Rice and make some moves but he'll be time sharing at best with Willis McGahee. The good news is that new QBs Brett Favre and Eli Manning will have quite a few targets to throw to. Last year's draft day trade netted Randy Moss. This year GM Greg pulled the trigger to acquire Plaxico Burress. Along with Hines Ward and Kellen Winslow, Gang Green should be able to do what they do best: just win baby.
Grade: C

10. Dirty Birds
Short of a leader behind center, the Birds return loaded. Two top three RBs in Steven Jackson and Adrian Peterson, and three top WRs in Larry Fitzgerald, Braylon Edwards, and Wes Welker. Brimming with talent once again, the Birds needed QBs and passed on last year's leader, Big Ben, and instead chose Jay Cutler to lead the repeat attempt. Time will tell if that was the right call. Either way, the backup, Matt Hasselbeck will be the same. The best pick GM Jon did was probably handcuff Chester Taylor to Peterson, since the rest of his draft was filled with longshots like WR Nate Burleson and rookie RB Felix Jones. Can the Birds repeat and win three championships? We'll find out won't we?
Grade: C+

Ocho Oucho?

It's not often you find two top ten players so readily available. In the days leading up to the draft, both WR Chad Johnson and RB Larry Johnson were being shopped around by the Fobsters and the Chunky Monkeys respectively. Reports say that Chad was almost shipped off to Buffy or Dirty Birds but in the end, it was a Johnson-Johnson trade as Jimmy and Evan agreed to swap problem children. Who's the winner in this exchange?

Well, it depends. WR Chad Johnson has been a malcontent all summer, has some injury problems, and might not even be the most productive receiver on his team. RB Larry Johnson tore the league up two years ago but now faces doubts about his continued success as well as an offensive line that is steadily in decline. Which one of these guys can step it up? Is Chad still a top ten WR? Is Larry Johnson going to rebound and start going Priest Holmes again?

What's interesting in all of this is that the trade creates huge holes for both teams' rosters. The Monkeys no longer have two dominant RBs to their name. It's LaDainian Tomlinson and um, well, yeah. This is after years of having Shaun Alexander, followed by Larry Johnson, and even having Frank Gore on tap for a quick second. Who will be the Monkey's second back this year? Then again, might it be better to have a stellar receiving corps (Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Anquan Boldin) in this age of explosive passing and inconsistent running backs? This might be the biggest change in Chunky Monkeys' history and shows a philosophy shift by management.

As for the Fobsters, they certainly had a weakness in the run game but was Reggie Bush and Earnest Graham really that bad? The number one receiver on their roster is now second year pro Calvin Johnson, who will really have to emerge this year to even become a solid second WR fantasy option. Who will franchise QB Tom Brady throw to if Calvin can't cut it?

The good news is that this blockbuster trade has kept the positive momentum going for both fan bases. The Monkeys and Fobsters went deep into the playoffs last year and these moves show that ownership isn't going to remain stagnant, not for an instant.

Again?

Despite being a part of two Super Bowls with the Dirty Birds, WR Plaxico Burress once again finds himself being set out to pasture. The Birds moved him to Gang Green for the low price of a fourth round draft pick -- the exact pick the Birds exchanged last year with them last year that resulted in Randy Moss -- and didn't even give him a chance to celebrate opening day with his championship mates. However, a locker stall will always be kept open for Burress, according to a Dirty Bird team janitor, mainly because Burress seems to always find himself back on the roster somehow.

Asked about this shocking trade, Burress was quick to reply, "I'll be back bitches. Me and Randy Moss will return to tear those Dirty Birds up! I gave them a championship! I caught the game winning (tying) touchdown! Screw you all!" In response, the Birds have installed security cameras at all of their off-season facilities in order to prevent a massive Plaxico revenge plot. When it was revealed that WR Wes Welker had been also on the chopping block but management had decided to move him, Burress said "$@#! white #@#*&!"

Here's to a great season.

Jammed Up

Switching divisions again, here's another look at a franchise, the venerable Tiiite End Jammers!

Historical Record
For most of the early years of CTDB, the Tiiight End Jammers were one of the scariest teams on the planet. In fact, the Jammers are like the Bears of the NFL, glorious champions that once dominated the landscape with fantasy MVP's like Kurt Warner and Priest Holmes but are now looking for answers. In 2001, as the newest owner on the block, Lei showed everyone how to play this game by leading off with three straight playoff appearances that culminated in a sterling 11-2 Super Bowl winning campaign in 2003. Even before that they were a force to be reckoned with and responsible for knocking out the high powered Chunky Monkeys two consecutive times -- creating quite the rivalry in the process.

Since that glory year however, the Jammers have been hobbled by slow starts and despite one more playoff appearance in 2006, they've been only mediocre. The worst season for them turned out be 2005 when they had to rebuild wholesale and try to get over the ineffectiveness of their once legendary running game. Even still, the Jammers have to be considered one of the premier franchises around. Four playoff seasons, one championship, and only finishing more than one game out of the post-season race once. That's a high standard for success.

The Jammers have proven to be resilient and with GM Pan at the controls, they're already showing their ability to fight back. Now that all their veterans have left the team -- one sits in jail -- new stars like Tony Romo and Joseph Addai are ready to step up and lead the Jammers back to glory.

Core Roster
Any discussion of the Jammers has to begin with their running attack. While other teams have had stellar running back duos, it's arguable that none have had greater success than the pairings of Priest Holmes and Ricky Williams (2001/2002) and Priest Holmes and Ahman Green / Tiki Barber (2003/2004). Lei got all four players while they had their best statistical seasons and used them to bludgeon opponents. In Year One, QB Kurt Warner and RB Priest Holmes shared Co-MVP honors as they both tore the roof off the fantasy world. Keep in mind, Priest was the very last pick in the draft that year. THE VERY LAST PICK. James Stewart was supposed to be the Jammer's number two back. Not so much.

For the first few two years, it was the Kurt, Priest, and Ricky show as the best receivers on staff were Easy Ed McCaffrey, Jerry Rice, Keenan McCardell, and a whole succession of flameouts. The primetime trio was enough to keep things very competitive but when Warner's game slid, the passing attack fell too and the Jammers needed help, something QB replacements like Brian Griese and Drew Bledsoe couldn't quite provide. Luckily, things wouldn't stay static for long.


The identifying trait of Lei's team has always been his willingness to wheel and deal. In fact, he was part of the first trade ever in CTDB history, acquiring RB Terrell Davis for WRs Johnnie Morton and Keenan McCardell. His biggest coup came in 2003 as he moved Ricky Williams, Joe Horn, Charles Rogers, and Drew Bledsoe for Michael Vick, Marvin Harrison, and Ahman Green. Vick and Green had stellar seasons (as Ricky began his slide into a weed haze) and the Jammers had a championship. Much forgotten in that tale is how sixth months before, GM Pan had the foresight to move David Boston for Joe Horn, also creating a hugely favorable trade for himself.

After that dream season, the Jammers suffered the traditional CTDB Champion's Curse despite getting a Top Five back for free through the draft (Tiki Barber, waived by the Dirty Birds) and finding Jimmy Smith and Plaxico Burress to pair with Marvin Harrison for a stellar passing attack. As the Jammers struggled with Priest, Ahman, and Vick all slowing down the next season, their fortunes turned. By 2005, they had fully tanked to a 3-10 record. But champions don't stay down for long.

The drafting of RB Joseph Addai in 2006 was a sign of hope and the new WR receiver trio of Marvin Harrison, Darrell Jackson, and Javon Walker looked very promising. Even without another stud back to pair with the young Addai, the Jammers were on their way back up. The traditional running attack was changing into something more orientated to the forward pass as Tony Romo came on to finally give the Jammers some stability after some difficult years with the run-first Vick. The addition of the still effective Clinton Portis in 2007 was also a step forward.

It's sometimes overlooked in a division of champions how dominant the Jammers were in CTDB's early history. They continue to be defined by the success of their earlier teams even as they've quickly retooled for a bright future and another championship run. The Jammers have been a proud franchise for many years and continue to excel with their intelligence and passion for the game.

Season Breakdowns
2007: 5-8; Started 1-7 but finished one game out of the playoffs while facing the toughest schedule in the league.
2006: 7-6; Beat out Ante Up for a playoff spot but got beat down in round one by Buffy (140-71).
2005: 3-10; Second to worst record in the league, worst offensive team of the year. Seven straight losses.
2004: 5-8; Went 1-5 to start off title defense and then fell one game short of scratching their way into the playoffs.
2003: 11-2; Super Bowl winner and dominant for the entire season with a ten game winning streak, setting multiple franchise records.
2002: 7-6; Playoff team upset the Chunky Monkeys before eventually losing in the divisional championships.
2001: 8-5; Started off 5-0. A strong playoff campaign and also GM of the Year Runner Up as a rookie owner.

Stats
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 113.20 (2003)
Most Points Scored, Game: 151 (2002)
Least Points Scored, Game: 47 (2007)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 68 (2001)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -90 (2004)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 10 (2003)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 7 (2005)