One Primate to Rule Them All

Historical Record
After a rough couple of years that featured only a 38-22-1 record, the Chunky Monkeys decided they had enough in 2006 and went on a 12-1 tear that threatened to rip apart the fabric of the CTDB universe. That one loss was a squeaker in WK6 versus Buffy, and it took 163 points to do it. Two weeks later, the Monkeys set the regular season high for points in a game with 178 points -- they were coming off of 149 and 153 point weeks. That year they set the record for Most Points Scored (2054), Highest Average Game Score (136.93), Most Wins (14), Best Average Point Differential (+40.60), and Most High Week Scores (10). They literally rewrote the record book. Oh, and they came back to avenge that one loss in the playoffs, annihilating Buffy 128-70 in the division finals before winning Super Bowl VI.

In the past five years, the Monkeys have compiled a regular season record of 47-18, won every division title during that span, been to four Super Bowls, and taken home two championship trophies. A case can be made that the Chunky Monkeys have been the greatest franchise in CTDB history. They have an all time record of 103-53-2, a sterling 65.8% winning percentage. That's twenty more wins than their next closest competitor in that category by the way. They've never had more than five losses in a season, been under 0.500 only once (!), and... Okay, we could go on. It's hard to argue that CM haven't been one of the best ever. The question is: Why isn't that a definitive "The Monkeys are the best ever!"

Well, the answer to that is because the Monkeys were for a very long time perceived as chokers. Despite being favored many times and usually heading into the playoffs cushioned with a bye, the juggernaut Monkeys have also folded just as many times as they've won. Sure we're rating them on an impossible scale but when your team is perceived as the most talented year after year, the fan base expects rings. In their first five seasons, the Monkeys regularly ripped off regular season wins only to collapse in the playoffs. The one time they made it to the Super Bowl, they lost to the Fat Jubas without putting up much of a fight.

Insert Peyton face.

There are some people who would argue that other teams have a spot at the top of the charts. Just two years ago, Green Team seemingly ended the Team of the Decade debate. In head to head matchups, the Greenies are the only team to have a winning record versus the Monkeys, none bigger than their stunning upset in Super Bowl VIII. Some had argued that other franchises' two championships make them the best team ever. For awhile, that was a viable stance.

Oh, but wait, the Monkeys have their two championships now too. If they can win another championship soon, while avoiding another Super Bowl upset, they could make their case for the Greatest Team of All Time, forget just Team of the Decade. Right now, they are simply "The Winningest Team" or "The Most Consistent Team." We feel like the Monkeys need to have more wins in the Super Bowl than they do losses before we're ready to give them the crown. Plus we need a reason to believe that the rest of us have a chance.

Core Roster
At the beginning of our first keeper season in 2001, a younger Evan drafted Peyton Manning and a Chargers' rookie named LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson. Those two stalwarts laid the groundwork for a decade of success. Operating with the philosophy that two stud running backs wins games, Evan featured Fred Taylor and Terrell Davis early on, before turning to LDT as the featured back. Blessed with both Peyton and Brett Favre, an early season trade netted WRs Johnnie Morton and Keenan McCardell. However, a weak WR corps would plague the Monkeys for years. Joe Horn emerged as a serviceable first receiver but he was far from the superstar that Evan coveted. Other receivers that first season included Jerome Pathon, Germane Crowell, Derrick Mason, and Wayne Chrebet.

Superior running backs would come and go over the years as the Monkeys became famous for their awesome pairings. Shaun Alexander ran alongside LDT for many years, both men churning into endzones on the regular. Then when Alexander was traded, Larry Johnson stepped up to the plate. Gifted with an eye for drafting young RBs, Evan always had many an emerging runner on his roster. Frank Gore, Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, and Jamaal Charles all came up through the Monkeys' farm system. Many of the RBs would be shuffled around but the Monkeys always had a stable of studs. At one point in 2009, the roster boasted LDT, Chris Johnson, Forte, Charles, and Larry Johnson. Goodness!

The passing game, on the other hand, usually lacked consistent performers. An aging Jimmy Smith faded away, Joe Horn was traded after two seasons, David Boston never panned out. A trade for Javon Walker seemed to amply fill the hole at third receiver but Walker's best year (singular) was already behind him. Same with Chad Johnson, who was unceremoniously cut the same season he arrived via trade for an declining Larry Johnson. Donald Driver and Darrell Jackson were steady veterans but never quite the stars Evan was looking for. A string of young receiving talent would go on to bomb: Kevin Dyson, Travis Taylor, Brandon Lloyd, Michael Clayton, DJ Hackett, Jerricho Cotchery, Anthony Gonzalez, just to name a few. The Monkeys did draft Andre Johnson but early on he would proved to be injury prone and was eventually released. By 2008, the Monkeys did settle into a nice core of Terrell Owens, Anquan Boldin, Vincent Jackson, and a brief fling with Antonio Gates.

Last year's new look receiving corps was the strongest Evan ever assembled: Roddy White, Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Marshall, and an ailing Anquan Boldin. They led the way for a new passing attack centered around QB Philip Rivers, who was acquired in the trade that sent Peyton Manning packing. The traditional two headed RB monster is now just one, Jamaal Charles, as rookie Ryan Mathews has yet to prove that he was worth Chris Johnson. With Peyton and LDT both off the keeper roster, a new era of Monkey madness has begun, one that might see less WK16 sit downs and bow outs.

One thing's for certain, the Monkeys never stand pat. They've moved more superstars around the league than Drew Rosenhaus. Over the years they've participated in about one big deal per year. Let's go take a look. See a pattern? Evan tends to mine young RBs and then swap them out for a WR or two. The hunt for a dominant air game has cost them at times. In 2005, they moved franchise player Shaun Alexander and subsequently lost the championship to Fat Jubas -- the team that received Alexander. All that wheeling and dealing has kept life exciting though, and Evan has proven that he's a GM who takes risks and works every angle to maintain an unparalleled level of excellence.

Season Breakdowns
2010: 9-4; Won the division and dominated throughout the playoffs, winning a second Super Bowl by defeating Fobsters
2009: 8-5; Won the division but lost to major underdog Gang Green in the Super Bowl
2008: 8-5; Won the division after starting off slow (1-2), lost to the favored Battle Angels in the Super Bowl
2007: 10-3; Won the division but upset by eventual co-champ Dirty Birds in the divisional championship game
2006: 12-1; Won the division, rewrote the record book, nearly went undefeated, and stampeded their way to a Super Bowl win
2005: 8-4-1; After handily winning their two playoff games, including upsetting Ante Up, they lost to Fat Jubas in the Super Bowl
2004: 9-4; Won the division but lost in the division finals to eventual champion Buffy
2003: 9-4; A second seed but then upset in the first round of the playoffs by Ante Up
2002: 8-5; A second seed but lost to eventual champion Dirty Birds in the divisional championship game
2001: 8-5; Led by ROY LaDainian Tomlinson, racked up nine century games in a row but lost in the playoffs to eventual champion BuffyStats (full)
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 136.93 (2006)
Most Points Scored, Game: 178 (2006)
Least Points Scored, Game: -- (----)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 87 (2009)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -54 (2008)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 9 (2005)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 3 (2005)

Iguana Strikes Back

Historical Record
If we're measuring success by Super Bowl appearances, the Fat Jubas have been one of the most successful franchises in CTDB history. They advanced to the championship round four times -- 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 -- and won a Super Bowl on their third visit. They also racked up an impressive eight playoff showings and two divisional titles. Those exploits make them second only to Gang Green's achievements in the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses division.

The Jubas have been savvily guide by Eric and are usually championship contenders and have had their share of big wins. Their 2002-2003 seasons were almost identical. Second place finishes in the division despite losing records, and then a joy filled romp to the Super Bowl.

Strangely, for a team with so much success, they only show up in the league record books once: for a second place showing on Most Points Allowed Season, in 2002. And the Fatties have an overall losing record of 74-80-2 (.481) for the past decade, which is surprising. Some would say that the early weakness of the SMG division gave the then Flaming Shrapnel a leg up, but those people might be just jealous of their postseason success.

Their divisonal rivalry with Gang Green is very lopsided, as they've lost 17 of 23 matchups. They have picked on the Fobsters and Phreaks franchise over the years though, compiling a 29-14 record against those two. Although of late the Jubas have had a disconcerting tendency to be upset in the playoffs by the Fobsters. Perhaps the best measure of the Jubas is to compare them with Battle Angel, who are similar in overall record, head to head matchups, and one championship each. Overall the Jubas have enjoyed a lot of unexpected playoff success but also some heartaches. They're looking to steady the ship heading into our eleventh year and are poised to do it quite well.

Core Roster
The Flaming Shrapnel stumbled out of the gates in 2001 but always had quite the roster of talented players on board. Ahman Green was the franchise running back and he was backed up by Anthony Thomas, Jamal Lewis (IR early), Garrison Hearst, and a young Shaun Alexander -- still stuck behind Ricky Watters. This sort of crowded backfield would come to define GM Eric's strategy for his early years. A few weeks into that first season, Green was shipped out for Eddie George, who had a very poor year. However, by 2002, George, Anthony Thomas, and Jamal Lewis would prove to be a capable running attack. Two years later, that potpourri would include be two younger backs, Domanick Davis and Chris Brown, who never quite sustained their early promise. Other RBs the grace the roster during this time included William Green, Tiki Barber, Warrick Dunn, Onterrio Smith, Thomas Jones, Tyrone Wheatley, and Cedric Benson before he was relevant.

It wasn't until 2005 that the Jubas found another franchise runner via trade: Shaun Alexander. A record setting season for Alexander led to a Super Bowl trophy for Eric. The next year, GM Eric got another franchise runner via trade, Frank Gore. By the time Alexander was ingloriously released in 2007, Ryan Grant and Michael Turner were ready for their star turns. After a disastrous 2009 season, GM Eric acquired Chris Johnson in a possible steal. With Gore still on board, and Darren McFadden finally cashing in on his promise, the Jubas enter the new decade with a fantastic three headed monster. Keep in mind, all those franchise making trades for RB came at the expense of Chunky Monkeys.

As the Jubas' backfield was turbulent and flipped over for many years, the receiving corps always had star power and production. Led off by Terrell Owens and Eric Moulds, the team had a nice tradition of a nice 1-2 punch and then a veteran in the third receiver role. Players like Cris Carter, Rod Smith, Jimmy Smith, Laveranues Coles, and Lee Evans had a good season or two before fading on. GM Eric also moved quickly on the waiver wire. Anquan Boldin exploded on the scene in 2003 as a rookie and GM Eric was right there to scoop him up. Another fantastic free agent came in 2006, right as the gap for a TO sized receiver was needed. Marques Colston was undrafted and ended up becoming an important cog in the Jubas' success for the next five years.

Young versions of Dwayne Bowe, Sidney Rice, and Brandon Marshall were also drafted or picked up by Eric. The scouting department for receivers is clearly underpaid at the Jubas' headquarters. Recently, they have started a tight end fascination too, as 2009-10 featured the likes of Dallas Clark, Tony Gonzalez, and Vernon Davis logging plenty of minutes. I believe all three even started a game in last season for the Jubas.

Let's talk about that quarterback position. The inaugural season featured Elvis Grbac and Alex Van Pelt. Trent Green steadied the position before Aaron Brooks came in for one outstanding year. The year after that, a trade for Steve McNair saved the 2003 season, and then Marc Bulger stepped onto the scene, leading Fat Jubas to a championship and steadying the position for a nice stretch. Eric caught Derek Anderson's one great year and then nabbed Kurt Warner for his two year resurgence. Last year, the Jubas traded for the steadiest QB in the game, Peyton Manning. However, with the great track record of grabbing QBs during their career peaks, Manning could just be a luxury.

After winning a divisional title last year, the Jubas have their strongest team on paper ever. Peyton Manning, Chris Johnson, Frank Gore, Darren McFadden, Marques Colston, Vincent Jackson, and Vernon Davis. There's a wealth of talent here and the Jubas are ready to challenge Gang Green for SMG accolades.

Season Breakdowns
2010: 8-5; Won a division title, started off 7-1, but upset by Fobsters in the divisional finals
2009: 4-8-1; Lost three in a row to end the season, sliding to last place in the division
2008: 7-6; Second in the division, mid-season five game winning streak, lost in the divisional round to eventual champion Battle Angels
2007: 6-7; Second in division, started off 2-6, upset in the first round by Fobsters
2006: 9-4; Won division, started off 5-2, advanced to the Super Bowl but lost to Chunky Monkeys
2005: 8-5; Second in the division, advanced to the Super Bowl, won their first championship versus Chunky Monkeys
2004: 7-6; Snuck into the playoffs, lost by three points in the first round to Battle Angels
2003: 6-7; Second in the division, advanced to the Super Bowl before losing to the Tiiite End Jammers
2002: 6-7; Second in the division, advanced to the Super Bowl before losing to the Dirty Birds
2001: 3-10; A lowly last place finish in the division

Stats (full)
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 124.15 (2009)
Most Points Scored, Game: 161 (2009)
Least Points Scored, Game: 50 (2003)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 93 (2008)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -79 (2005)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 9 (2006)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 5 (2002)

Above the Clouds

Historical Record
There's little doubt that the Birds have cemented themselves in league history in a number of ways. They've won two championships, they own the second highest all time winning record (77-60-5), and they hold the longest winning streak for a season (11). Of course they've also had the third longest losing streak ever (8), scored the second least points ever in a season, and averaged just about the worst points per season ever. 2002 and 2007 were the championship years while 2003 and 2006 found the Birds dead last in their division. Ever dangerous and ever streaky, that's been the Birds' way.

Through it all, they have been to the playoffs six out of nine years, suffered just three losing seasons, and managed to put themselves in the conversation for best team ever. Actually, there would be a lot more traction for that argument if they didn't have such tough divisional rivalries. Buffy has always proven to be a thorn in the side for the Birds, as the pair of two time champs wage constant battles for the last playoff seed. Buffy aside, the biggest hurdle for the Birds have been Evan's Chunky Monkeys, who have eliminated Jon's team in the conference finals two years running (plus another time in 2005).

More aggravating though, is the Monkey's regular season dominance, which have allowed the Birds to win the top seed -- and a playoff bye -- only once. Here's a fun stat: the Birds have a winning or even record with every other team in the league except against the Monkeys, who have dominated the Birds to the tune of 14-6 in their matchups. That's a 0.300 winning percentage for Jon versus Evan. (The only other team the Birds are down versus is Ante Up, but that is by only one loss.) "You damned dirty ape!"

Recently the Birds have found themselves in a very stable place, with three consecutive winning seasons and three straight second place divisional finishes. Unless their retooled roster collapses, the Birds can look forward to doing plenty more Dirty Bird dances.

Core Roster
There's been no shortage of player movement in the Dirty Birds' history. They've been the most active trade partner in the league and average one roster shakeup per year, and usually for a big name. Right out of the gates, GM Jon signed off on a trade for Ahman Green, giving up franchise cornerstone Eddie George just a few weeks into the first season. That gave the Birds a stellar backfield of Green and Corey Dillon, who became one of the best running combos in the league. The inaugural draft also produced Marvin Harrison, who would team with a number of big name receivers over the years. Two Atlanta Falcons were drafted that year, as RB Jamal Anderson was on his way down while QB Michael Vick was about to explode. The stand in QB that first year was Tom Brady, free agent surprise and eventual superstar -- but not for the Birds.

By the second CTDB season, the Dirty Birds had completely gelled and romped their way to a championship led by Vick, Green, Dillon, Harrison, Plaxico Burress, Jerry Rice, and young Chad Johnson and Koren Robinson. Jon's quick trigger finger decimated the team next year as he traded away Vick, Green, and Harrison for the rights to Ricky Williams, Drew Bledsoe, Joe Horn, and Charles Rogers. That trade imploded when Ricky retired soon after and Lei's Tiiite End Jammers went on to an easy championship powered by the Birds' star players (and Priest Holmes).

A few seasons in, Jon's team was wiped of talent and he hit the draft boards and free agent bread line. Over the next three years there became a rotating array of players such as Plaxico Burress, Joe Horn, Rudi Johnson, Willis McGahee, Roy Williams, Larry Fitzgerald, Cadillac Williams, and even an unretired Ricky Williams. Trades for Jamal Lewis, Randy Moss, and Plaxico came and went. The drafting of Steven Jackson in 2005 solidified the backfield. For the next few years, it would be S-Jax, Rudi, and Fitzgerald who would lead the team.

Never one to sit on a quarterback, the Birds traded away Tom Brady before his record setting year -- and Randy Moss in a separate move -- but still managed to co-win a Super Bowl with a loaded receiving corps that boasted Fitzgerald, Burress, Braylon Edwards, Wes Welker, and Greg Jennings. Dependable plodder Rudi Johnson was replaced by dynamic rookie Adrian Peterson and the Birds soon featured two top five running backs and three top fifteen receivers. Post-Brady, the Birds have rotated through QBs like Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Hasselbeck, Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer, Jason Campbell, and Matt Ryan. Whoever provided less headache usually won the starting gig for the week.

A few words here about Plaxico Burress, who has been acquired and dumped by Dirty Birds management quite a few times. He was traded onto the team in 2002, cut by 2004, reacquired via trade in 2005, and then traded away in 2008. You could call it a love hate relationship and no wonder Burress shot himself in the leg. It's almost inevitable he'll become a Dirty Bird again in the future.

During this past offseason, Steven Jackson was finally shipped off after five successful seasons (along with Wes Welker) and Falcon Michael Turner was brought in to pair with Peterson. With a proven knack for finding young receiving talent, the Birds struck again with Miles Austin last year and going forward he'll replace Welker in the lineup. A strong running game, deep receivers, and some patchworking at quarterback, that has been the Dirty Birds' way and it's resulted in two championships. Is a third on the horizon?

Season Breakdowns
2009: 7-5-1; Second in division and lost to Chunky Monkeys in conference finals
2008: 7-6; Started off 5-1, finished second in division and lost to Chunky Monkeys in conference finals
2007: 10-3; Second in division and advances to Super Bowl where they tied with Gang Green for co-champs
2006: 4-8-1; Started off 1-5-1, and despite winning their last three games, tanked to last place in the division
2005: 7-6; Third seed for the playoffs and gets knocked out first round by Chunky Monkeys
2004: 6-7; Starts off 6-3 but loses last four games of the regular season to barely sneak into the post-season, where they were beat by eventual champ Buffy in round one
2003: 5-8; Lost four in a row to slide into last place in the division during title defense year
2002: 10-3; Goes on a record eleven game winning streak and hoses the competition for their first Super Bowl win
2001: 7-6; Had a five game winning streak but ends up out of playoffs due to tie-break

Stats (full)
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 115.60 (2002)
Most Points Scored, Game: 157 (2002)
Least Points Scored, Game: 45 (2001)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 84 (2002)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -71 (2003)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 11 (2002)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 8 (2006)

The Greatest Show

Continuing our series of franchise recaps, we have just a few teams left and none is higher caliber than Buffy, the only two time solo winner of the CTDB Super Bowl. Invited to every legends gathering and a consistent winner and active general manager, Roger has contributed many wins, articles (especially his "Game of the Week" posts), and loads of fantasy experience during the past decade. Buffy has always been a crowd favorite and a premier gate draw as they consistently boast big name stars and a winning attitude. Let's take a closer look at one of the most decorated franchises in the league.

Historical Record
During year one of our keeper denomination, Buffy came out of the gates with a mega team that dominated on their way to our inaugural championship. They averaged 115 points per season and blew everyone out of the water. Loaded with a young team that won ten straight games to close out the season, the other owners were worried that Roger might remain at the top for years to come. Surprisingly, Buffy wouldn't see the playoffs again for two years, even with a roster that boasted Rams Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt during their primes.

When Buffy made the playoffs again in 2004 -- barely squeaking in as a wild card team with a losing record -- they made history again. With a spurt of five wins in a row, they upset their way to another championship by defeating favorite after favorite. At this point in time, Buffy had taken two of the first four Super Bowls and looked poised for more.

Unfortunately, the next few years would bring Buffy only two more playoff berths and no shot at another championship. A remarkable stat for you: Buffy didn't suffer their first playoff loss until 2006 as every time they had made the post-season they won the whole damn thing. However, aside from that initial 10-3 regular season record, Buffy has actually hovered around six or seven wins each season, with only a dramatic dip in 2008. This tells us that Buffy has always managed to stay competitive but haven't quite been able to recreate the dominance of their first year.

Still, there were highlights galore with this team over the years. They set and reset the single game high score mark a few times. They set the standard for many categories in the first season's record books. They were the one team that took down the Chunky Monkeys in 2006, preventing them from achieving a perfect season. They also hold the record for lowest single game score, at 29 points, set in 2003. They have intense intra-division rivalries -- they've been tie-broken out of the playoffs three times -- and are looking to separate themselves from the championship pack as they close in on three titles.

Core Roster
Buffy's initial drive to success involved pairing a good QB with great receivers and then run-and-shooting with a versatile back. This worked great when the combination included MVPs Marshall Faulk and quarterback Rich Gannon. During their first championship run, Buffy had Torry Holt, David Boston, Rod Smith, and free agent find Qadry Ismail running routes and tearing up defenses. Even with good running back options behind Faulk (such as Charlie Garner and Corey Dillon), Buffy chose to go with a heavy air attack that mirrored the NFL St. Louis Rams'.

The initial five keepers remained pretty steady with Gannon, Faulk, Holt, Boston, and Smith being key parts of the team until 2004 when there was a change at the top with Matt Hasselbeck and other journeymen QBs at the helm. By then Faulk was in decline and had given way to Corey Dillon and Michael Pittman. Torry Holt teamed up with his real life running mate Isaac Bruce, Joe Horn, and one year wonder Michael Clayton to help Buffy win their second championship.

A trade in 2005 signaled that Buffy's core was headed in another direction as a two back attack was now mandatory. A move for Ahman Green, which cost Buffy Joe Horn, didn't work out so well but it was a much needed change.

There's been a revolving door of running back options since. Willie Parker, Jamal Lewis, and Marion Barber have all put in time with this team. Often they've been paired with one season stand-ins such as Ladell Betts, Kevin Jones, Lendale White, or Travis Henry. There's been a lot of turnover in the backfield and GM Roger has had his work cut out looking for another superstar runner.

At least Torry Holt stayed strong for most of the decade, before finally fading (and being cut in 2009). Steady Derrick Mason has been on and off the roster, and a variety of teasers such as Terry Glenn, Joey Galloway, Laveranues Coles, Jerry Porter, TJ Houshmanzadeh, and Donald Driver have been used to fill out the receiving corps. Buffy loves his big name maybe game receivers and has always drafted accordingly in the late rounds. The 2008 draft turned up eventual stud Roddy White and solid tight end Antonio Gates, who would prove to be perfect transition pieces. Special shout out to kicker Sebastian Janikowski, who was drafted in the sixth round (!) during our first draft and has since then, more often than not, been property of Buffy.

Under center, Buffy managed to find a steady leader in Carson Palmer, who had a three year run for Buffy and will be back in 2010 as well. Due to Palmer's declining health and semi-erratic play, Buffy had the foresight to nab Philip Rivers for a season and a half, and that would soon parlay into a huge offseason. Speaking of offseasons, after years of not being involved in many trades (the archives only note that one Horn-Green trade), Buffy took the leap this offseason and participated in two blockbusters that would result in an entirely new look for them.

First they acquired RBs Michael Turner and Matt Forte for Philip Rivers and Roddy White. Then they turned around and turned Turner into RB Steven Jackson and WR Wes Welker. With a Rams RB back in the fold, will Buffy now achieve the post-season success that have eluded them since their second Super Bowl win? The legendary run-and-shoot is but a memory and Buffy now has a strong ground game and possession receivers headed into the upcoming season. If the new crew and philosophy can lead them to another title, Buffy would vault himself to the top of the "Greatest CTDB Team of All Time" discussion. Or simply just end the debate outright.

Season Breakdowns
2009: 7-6; Edged out of playoffs by tie-breaker with Dirty Birds
2008: 4-9; Lost four in a row to slide out of playoff contention
2007: 6-7; Sneaks into the playoffs but eliminated in the first round to eventual co-champion Dirty Birds
2006: 7-5-1; Starts off 0-3-1 but pushes hard to finish second in the division, losing to eventual champion Chunky Monkeys
2005: 7-6; Edged out of the playoffs by tie-breaker with Dirty Birds
2004: 6-7; Wins last five games in a row on way to record second championship
2003: 7-6; Despite a winning record, edged out of playoffs by tie-breaker with Ante Up
2002: 5-8; An up and down season gives way to total collapse as three losses to close out the year ends their repeat hopes
2001: 10-3; Wins the inaugural Super Bowl in dominating fashion, with ten straight wins on the way to the championship

Stats (full)
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 118.00 (2001)
Most Points Scored, Game: 163 (2006)
Least Points Scored, Game: 29 (2003)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 90 (2004)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -71 (2005)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 10 (2001)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 5 (2004)

Amelica's Tweam

What's harder to do in a fantasy season? To go winless or to win them all? Well we've had a few teams flirt with both but so far, the only franchise that has been able to get a coveted zero in the win/loss columns for an entire season is the Fobsters. Tragically, they went 0-13 that season and were almost booed out of their city. This franchise is the only one to have gone through an ownership change in CTDB history so a little slack should be called for right? Of course, with only two winning seasons in nine, there's a case to be made here for them as the least successful franchise in history. Let's take a look at how Skool/Fobsters have done over the previous decade.

Historical Record
This is a tale of two franchises. Original owner Jon C. made his contributions early, playing from 2001-2004 and compiling a record of 23-29 while winning a regular season division title in the process. However, despite two playoff appearances in four years, Skool never won a post-season game.

New owner Jimmy, even having played one whole extra season, has only mustered 21 wins during his reign (21-43-1) -- and that includes the disastrous winless season. However, under his stewardship, the Fobsters won a playoff game in 2007 and discounting the first two disastrous seasons, they've been playing nearly .500 ball. So let's just chalk up those transitional years as time for fob star Jimmy to get his bearings. Now that his language skills are up to speed, we'll look forward to what he'll bring to the table as he looks to establish a winning tradition and secure some more playoff victories for the Fobsters.

Well, let's not leave before we get a chance to look at the records that Skool/Fobsters have managed to compile over the years. With this many mentions in the record book, the fans have much to cheer/cringe over.

• #1 Lowest Average Game Score, Season: 73.69 (2006)
• #3 Lowest Average Game Score, Season: 81.93 (2001)
• #1 Leasts Points Scored, Season 958.0 (2006)
• #1 Least Wins, Season: 0 (2006)
• #2 Least Wins, Season: 2 (2005), tied with Phreaks
• #1 Worst Average Point Differential, Season: -38.0 (2006)
• #1 Longest Losing Streak, Season: 13 (2006)
• #1 Worst Power Ranking, Season: 2004 and 2006

Core Roster
You would think a team with this little team success would have struggled with instability and lack of talent over the years. That's actually not the case at all. The Skool version of the team boasted big names like Daunte Culpepper, Tiki Barber, Isaac Bruce, and Tony Gonzalez right from the get go, when all of them were easily in their primes. Jon C. always had an eye for young talent and unearthed running back Deuce McAllister early on, and had success with speedsters Peerless Price and Donte Stallworth. A 2002 trade of Isaac Bruce for Stephen Davis set the stage for years with a solid backfield while the eventual addition of the two disruptive Johnsons -- Chad and Keyshawn -- kept Skool's team full of big names.

The biggest issue Skool faced was injuries. Daunte Culpepper had tremendous campaigns but got injured quite a bit (leading to a few games worth of QBs like Jay Fiedler) and even flat out benched once. Isaac Bruce, Deuce McAllister, Stephen Jackson, and Tiki Barber were all injury prone or simply ineffective for long stretches. After a promising first few years, Skool's talent base eroded and his tendency to go for proven but declining veterans did him no favors.

When Jimmy came on board, the keeper list was headed by Chad Johnson, Deuce McAllister, and Tony Gonzalez as Culpepper, Barber, Davis, and most of the stars from years before had faded away. A special mention goes here to Tony G for his longevity, especially on a team that has done well with premier pass catching tight ends. Jimmy has shown a fondness for collecting tight ends, as he's even once featured a three tight end set with Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Kellen Winslow.

With a top three pick three times in four years, GM Jimmy has had his choice of potential talent. Those picks turned into Reggie Bush (2006), Calvin Johnson (2007), and Kevin Smith (2009). Of the three, only Calvin Johnson is still with the team and despite flashes of brilliance from Bush and Smith, they were never the franchise back the Fobsters needed. Hard charging Earnest Graham strung together one and a half good seasons but he's no longer with the team. Interestingly, Cadillac Williams, traded to the Fobsters in a minor deal in 2006, is the new man in the backfield in 2010, after being on and off the roster.

After five years as the face of the franchise, and being the loud mouthed rock during the transitional years, wide receiver Chad Johnson was traded in 2008 (for Larry Johnson, who never worked out) and his fiery presence left a hole in the locker room.

The biggest coup for Jimmy was acquiring QB Tom Brady right before 2007 -- his record setting year --for a low draft pick. That catapulted him to the franchise's most successful year to date and gave the Fobsters a leader on the field. Of course, Brady's subsequent injury really hurt the Fobsters and they go into 2010 looking for some more talent across the board. They've still got Brady, are hoping for a bounce back year from ultra-talented Calvin Johnson, and unearthed free agent find WR Pierre Garcon last year. The Fobsters will continue to fill in the pieces as they look toward notching that third winning record.

Season Breakdowns
2009: 6-7; Had a little win streak heading into the playoffs but was quickly upset by eventual champion Gang Green in the first round
2008: 5-8; Started 4-3 but then lost six games in a row and ended the season fourth place in the division. Franchise QB Tom Brady was lost for the season early.
2007: 8-5; Secures a playoff berth and turns the franchise around despite losing in the divisonal finals to eventual co-champ Gang Green
2006: 0-13; Record setting winless year, 'nuff said
2005: 2-10-1; First year of new ownership and a last place showing, but faced toughest schedule in the league
2004: 4-9; Last place finish with four and five game losing streaks to start and end the season pushes old ownership out the door
2003: 7-6; Finished first in the division and received a bye, only to be upset by Flaming Shrapnel in the playoffs
2002: 6-7; After an injury plagued year, finished one spot out of the playoffs, edged out by tie-breaker
2001: 6-7; Despite having only one game over the century mark, Skool defies all the skeptics and finishes second in the division and wins the Super Mojo Award for most unlikely playoff season.

Stats (full)
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 104.93 (2007)
Most Points Scored, Game: 145 (2002)
Least Points Scored, Game: 50 (2001)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 72 (2007)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -93 (2006)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 6 (2007)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 13 (2006)

Get Your Phreak On

Our favorite world traveler is finally back in the Bay and rumors have it that his new pad is decked out with multiple televisions and the NFL Sunday package. We'll send in a league spy to check the place out, on Sundays of course. The Philadelphia Phreaks have had quite the roller coaster history with CTDB. A few ups, a few downs -- a lot of downs -- but always a consistent voice and writer of awesome articles. Let's take a look shall we?

Historical Record
It hasn't been easy for the Phreaks. Just two winning records in nine years, a pair of 2-11 seasons, injuries, injuries, and more injuries. In fact, the injury bug that hits this team has often been so bad that our league has the "Phreak Curse," which is like Murphy's Law that demands "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." Despite all this, the Phreaks have been to the playoffs four times and almost made the Super Bowl on two separate occasions (2002 and 2006). Through it all, the Phreaks have always been gritty, active, and full of fight.

In general, Ping's teams have generally been middle of the pack, with some epic tailspins -- eleven losses in a row in 2003 -- but also with some accompanying fireworks too. For example, in 2004, they set a then record for most points scored in a game. One year prior, they set the record for highest individual fantasy performance, 57 points by RB Clinton Portis. Most years, the Phreaks will have a few weeks of absolute blazing performances followed by an injury (or two) and then a disappointing end to the season. The only year that the Phreaks ended the regular season on an upswing was 2004, when they won three in a row but finished short of the playoffs.

Is this franchise snake bitten? Hard to say. Karma demands that what comes around goes around but the loyal Phreaks fan base have been waiting for almost a decade and they're eager for a championship. Luckily, through a fantastic 2009 draft and another well assembled running game, GM Ping is looking to give them just that this year. Let's toast to the Phreaks future success and for the many awesome articles to come from this venerable franchise.

Core Roster
No team is more aptly named than the Philadelphia Phreaks. With the name "Philadelphia" in the name, the Phreaks have declared their allegiance to the City of Brotherly Love and have had Eagles players littering the roster every year. Generally speaking, this isn't a great idea, to have every player from one franchise. In terms of the Eagles, it tends to mirror their up and down seasons. I mean, QB Donovan McNabb is one of the finest fantasy QBs in recent memory but he's also hurt quite a bit.

The true stalwarts on this roster have been Eagles Defense and David Akers. Both of these slots are always steady. The Eagles field good defenses and always have good kicking production. GM Ping often gets enamored with any young Eagles receiver and that hasn't panned out like ever. Remember Freddie Mitchell? Where's James Thrash? Donte Stallworth was okay. Kevin Curtis had two nice games. Hank Baskett is less famous than his fiance right now. In fact, the Eagles down the field passing game has always been a work in progress, and same with the Phreaks. Despite many familiar names that have come through over the years (Isaac Bruce, Keyshawn Johnson, Plaxico Burress, Santana Moss, Javon Walker, Jerry Porter, Chris Chambers, Roy Williams), the only franchise worthy WR this team has produced is TJ Houshmanzadeh, whose best years are already behind him as he was just released. The supplemental pickup of Terrell Owens this year keeps with the trend of taking veteran receivers who might be slightly past their prime.

But while the receiving corps have been mostly undistinguished, the Phreaks have been fantastic on the ground. In their inaugural season, they had Emmitt Smith and Stephen Davis past their primes but still very effective. In 2002, they hit the jackpot by drafting Jamal Lewis and trading for Clinton Portis. With these two as franchise cornerstones, the Phreaks could churn out the yards. And often did, until one or the other got hurt. Or went to jail. After those two, there was a series of swing for the fences young RB picks like Kevin Jones, Julius Jones, DeShaun Foster, and Tatum Bell before finding that little wrecking ball, Maurice Jones-Drew in 2006 and promising workhorse Marshawn Lynch in 2007. That was followed up by the selection of Darren McFadden last year and so the table is set for the Phreaks to run wild again.

The formula for the Phreaks has never changed. Have a grinding ground game, draft some Eagles receivers (this year it's DeSean Jackson), and put it all on Donovan's arm -- and health. While this hasn't always produced consistent results, it has given the Phreak fans something to cheer about and nobody has more loyalty and hope than those fans in Philly.

Season Breakdowns
2008: 6-7; Finished in fourth place despite a strong start at 4-3.
2007: 2-11; Lost seven in a row and finished with the worst record in the league.
2006: 7-6; Started out 6-1 and went to the playoffs but updended by the Fat Jubas. Donovan McNabb and Clinton Portis both went down.
2005: 5-8; Despite a losing record, made the playoffs and put up quite the fight versus eventual champ Flaming Shrapnel (lost by 4) in the first round.
2004: 6-7; Started off 3-1, lost six in a row, and then won last three games to barely miss the playoffs.
2003: 2-11; Held water at 1-1 until losing eleven games in a row. Ouch.
2002: 7-6; A series of trades dramatically reshaped the roster and the Phreaks were rolling until McNabb went down in November.
2001: 5-7; Originally named TAGHeuer, they made the first round of the playoffs despite a losing record and were promptly bounced.

Stats
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 111.43 (2002)
Most Points Scored, Game: 174 (2004)
Least Points Scored, Game: 38 (2006)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 114 (2004)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -77 (2001)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 5 (2006)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 11 (2003)

The Gang of New York

Here we go, the start of the season and another franchise breakdown. This year we start off with an esteemed member of the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses. Possibly the best team ever from that division? Read on and find out.

Historical Record
If I told you that a team had only missed one playoff appearance in our long history, had four seasons of 9-4 records, two divisional titles, two Super Bowl appearances, and one championship ring, wouldn't you call them the most consistently winning franchise in CTDB history (outside of the Chunky Monkeys)? The fact is that Greg's Gang Green -- formerly Green Team -- has quietly been a model of winning. Over the years, they've compiled a 60-44 record season record, and that's actually skewed because of two low mark seasons. In other words, Gang Green just wins baby.

The truly amazing thing is that the Greenies haven't had any top talent, like ever. We'll go into more detail further below but the most identifiable players for this franchise has been QB Brett Favre and WR Hines Ward. Hardly top five talent. Or even top ten. But GM Greg has kept his team well stocked with productive (but obscure) players through the waiver wire.

Looking back over Gang Green's history, they are a team of streaks. Nearly every year they start off white hot but then cool down -- or the other way around. They've almost never had up and down weeks, instead generally compiling at least a four game winning/losing streak somewhere in a season. What can account for this? A lapse in concentration when high on life? Motivational speeches when the chips are down? Whatever it is, other owners would do well to recognize and emulate Gang Green's consistently winning ways.

Core Roster
The faces of the franchise are WR Hines Ward and QB Brett Favre. Ward was acquired in the team's second season and has been the bedrock for the team. Of course, Hines has never been a top flight fantasy option, instead leading by example and always putting up consistent seasons. Favre was acquired in 2001 in a trade in exchange for WR Jimmy Smith and has usually ended up back on Gang Green even when not a keeper. Aside from those two guys, the roster history is littered with one year boomers and waiver wire wonders.

The crazy thing is that, generally speaking, GM Greg has been a terrible drafter. Check out this inaugural draft. QB Trent Green, RB Duce Staley, and RB Mike Anderson were their first three picks. Only Duce was a keeper the following year, mainly out of desperation. That first draft was rated a D+ by prognosticators. The Greenies haven't exactly done much better since either, mulching their way through studs like William Green, Anthony Thomas, Travis Henry, Kevan Barlow, Garrison Hearst, Cedric Benson, and Michael Pittman. The receivers acquired through the draft haven't been real talents either aside from Ward and TE Antonio Gates (traded away for WR Jerricho Cotchery recently). Rod Gardner and Marc Boerigter didn't exactly work out eh?

Ah, but the magical Midas touch of Greg on the waiver wire. He's been able to pick up WRs like Marty Booker, Darrell Jackson, Troy Brown, Santana Moss, Bernard Berrian, and Laveranues Coles at all the right times. RB Reuben Droughns in 2004 was the FA pickup of the year. Lamont Jordan was great for one year too. Thomas Jones has been alternately great and terrible since his inclusion on the team in 2006 but seems to have found a groove recently.

The immediate future looks good for Gang Green too. A trade for Randy Moss propelled them to a championship recently and they've found a pounding ground game behind Giants RB Brandon Jacobs and Thomas Jones. Heck, Ronnie Brown might still be a potential star, although it's looking less likely with repeated injuries. Even though most of his keeper core is on the wrong side of 30, there's no doubt Greg can continue to win by mixing and matching spare pieces.

It's pretty much inevitable that Brett Favre will end up on this team, as he's worked hard to fight out challengers like Eli Manning and Philip Rivers over the years. Greg is delighted that Favre is back in the league so he can spend a late round pick on him. What Gang Green has proven is that you don't necessarily need stars to win at fantasy, as long as you're a savvy GM with quick and accurate waiver wire fingers. But man, it sure would be nice to have a few franchise talents wouldn't it? All joking aside, Gang Green has been a force to be reckoned with and will continue to be every year if their history is any indication.

Season Breakdowns
2008: 9-4; Stumbled coming out of the gate but went 8-1 (with a five game streak) to power into the playoffs, losing to eventual champions Battle Angel.
2007: 9-4; Started off 7-1 but went cold before pulling it all together for a dramatic playoff run and a tie with the Dirty Birds for the championship.
2006: 5-8; A promising beginning but then a six game losing streak left them short of the playoffs. All this despite playing easiest schedule in the league (also scored the same PF/PA at 1127.0)
2005: 9-4; Won division again but upset by Flaming Shrapnel, losing by five in a nail biter.
2004: 9-4; First divisional title also translated to an appearance in the Super Bowl, where they lost by two points to Buffy.
2003: 7-6; Started off 1-5 but lost just one game after that to get a home playoff game. Upset by Flaming Shrapnel in the first round.
2002: 7-6; Started off hot but faded down the stretch (four game losing streak), making it to the playoffs but losing in the first round.
2001: 5-8; Recovered from 3-5 start to sneak into the playoffs, although it wasn't exactly an achievement at three games under .500.

Stats
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 104.38 (2005)
Most Points Scored, Game: 155 (2005)
Least Points Scored, Game: 46 (2001)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 93 (2006)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -114 (2004)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 7 (2005)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 6 (2006)

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)

Battle Stars

After last year's franchise recap of Ante Up, I've decided to move on to a few other teams. First up, Vu's Battle Nuggets (formerly the Battle Angels). In contrast to recapping the most recent season, I'm just going to vault straight into the past.

Historical Record
The Battle Angels story hasn't always been a happy one. In fact, they've hardly achieved any long lasting success past their inaugural year. Only two winning seasons out of seven, three total playoff appearances, and a tendency to wear down near the end of campaigns. With a veteran laden roster and stars that have often been hit or miss, the Angels have had a tough time staying consistently competitive. They also have had the bad luck of often facing tough schedules. They've found themselves just outside the playoff door many times (2007, 2005) but that's more often had to do with a weak division than anything else.

The good news is that Vu has proven to be a savvy owner and unearthed a few gems along the way -- even if he does have a predilection for big names and old faces. In addition, the Nuggets have at least made a Super Bowl, a claim that half the franchises in CTDB can't make. In fact, the future looks bright for the Battle Nuggets as they've finally found steady franchise players in Drew Brees, Laurence Maroney, Willis McGahee, Steve Smith and Andre Johnson. With a bit of tinkering and foresight, this team could finally do some damage.

It also must dig at Vu that his college roommate, Roger, is a two time champion while he has yet to get his own ring. Here's a matchup between them from 2003.

Core Roster
The Battle Angels have a tendency to skew toward the veterans. Their rosters are always big on name recognition but as their historical record shows, that hasn't always translated to wins. The Angels' philosophy was always more ground based than their name suggested. A tough inside running game with speedster receivers on the outside to relieve the pressure has always the preference of management. The team has always featured strong defenses too (often the Steelers) to control their opponents.

Looking at their first, and most successful, season, we see the prototypical Battle Angels team. Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin attacking the defense while Randy Moss and Tim Brown played deep threat and possession receiver. Since this was 2001, all these players were feared and respected and perennial All-Pros. However, Brown and Bettis were slipping while Moss was as mercurial as ever. Curtis Martin had some amazing seasons and he represented what the Angels were all about. Often counted down and out but as scrappy as ever.

The first franchise QB for this team was Steve McNair, who had started his career with the Angels behind Brian Griese. Vu also was the first to tap into Tom Brady's mojo, but probably a few years too early fantasy wise. As McNair suffered through some injury riddled campaigns, the QB question wasn't sufficiently answered until the rise of Drew Brees in 2004, who led the Angels to their second playoff appearance.

After a few hard hitting seasons by the Bus and C-Mart, the Angels suffered looking for franchise backs. James Stewart looked like the answer for awhile. Trung Canidate never was. Neither was Julius Jones or an over the hill Eddie George. Oftentimes the Angels would go four wide to cover up their lack of running back production. It wasn't until 2006 and the emergence of rookie Laurence Maroney that the Angels got another Top 10 back on their roster. Even the 2005 trade of Randy Moss for Willis McGahee (and Ashley Lelie) only provided dividends for half a season as McGahee's career cooled down until he got to Baltimore last season.

Over the years, as the Angels have lost their ability to run, they have drafted some stellar wide receivers. Aside from the early seasons with Randy Moss, the Angels have featured Tim Brown, Amani Toomer, the immortal Bill Schroeder, JJ Stokes, Muhsin Muhammad, Curtis Conway, Reggie Brown, and blazer Joey Galloway (2002) who has been the real face of the franchise from a receiving standpoint. While Steve Smith has always been the team's best receiver after Randy Moss was moved, he's been injured often and Galloway has been his stand-in for many years. Last year's drafting of Andre Johnson adds another top playmaker and the Battle Nuggets can look to get down and dirty with a balanced running and passing game and the strongest keeper group they've ever had.

Season Breakdowns
2007: 5-8; Ended the season on a four game losing streak to take them out of playoff contention.
2006: 6-7; A playoff season, although it might have more to do with the poor play of his division mates.
2005: 5-8; Once again settled into second to last place after losing five in a row at one point of the season. Tied with Phreaks for playoff spot but was edged out by head-to-head matchups.
2004: 8-5; Finished second in the division and won a first round playoff game.
2003: 5-9; Second to last finish and a three game losing streak to finish the season.
2002: 3-10; The worst team in the entire league after a high flying first season. A putrid offense doomed them.
2001: 8-6; Despite facing the toughest schedule in the league, they were the division champs and advanced to the Super Bowl.

Stats
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 103.13 (2004)
Most Points Scored, Game: 143 (2004)
Least Points Scored, Game: 49 (2007)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 77 (2001)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -69 (2001)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 3 (2005)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 6 (2002)

All In with Ante Up

Recap 2006:
Ante Up started off this season very strong with three straight wins. They had a 5-pt win over Buffy in WK1, a 55-pt drubbing of Fobsters in WK2, and then a 27-pt blow out over Dirty Birds in WK3.

Of course, this fast start was negated by a four game losing streak, which was only stopped by acquiring another win against Buffy in WK8. Sitting at 0.500, Ante Up needed to step up it up. But an up-and-down next five games (three wins and two losses) put the pressure on them in WK13.

In that last game of the season, Ante Up won a close one against the [Donovan-less] Phreaks, 83-81. Corey Dillon had a season high 20 points but indicative of the season, starting QB Rex Grossman ended up with -5 points, while Trent Green sat on the bench with 34 pts.

The Jammers also won a close last game however, 99-93 versus the Green Team, to advance over Ante Up to the playoffs. Despite similar records, the Jammers had a Points Scored advantage on the season (after 1-1 head-to-head record) and sent Ante Up packing for the winter.

Roster 2006:
So, Ante Up finished with a winning 7-6 record but got locked out of the playoffs. The big reason for their wild season? Let's point the finger at QB Trent Green, who was injured early and didn't return in time to help the team out. Replacement QB Rex Grossman was on fire during the first half of the season, but by the time he got into Ante Up's lineup, he had cooled off (understatement) and finished accruing only 40 points for the team -- including two weeks with negative scores. The other backup QB, Daunte Culpepper, was a worthy pre-season gamble, but has fallen far from his glory days.

Another player that doomed Ante Up's playoff chances? The rock of the franchise, running back Edgerrin James. The move to Arizona cost James his fantasy stud status. He could barely push over 9 points per game and was sitting on the bench by the end of the season.

To replace him, Ante Up had to use old workhorse Corey Dillon, who wasn't too much better overall. The bright spot here was Brian Westbrook, this season's Ante Up MVP. Westbrook averaged 18 points a contest (221 total), was the fourth best running back in the league, the tenth best player overall and had multiple explosive games this year (two 30+ games, four 20+ games).

The three main WRs were pretty damn good actually. Reggie Wayne finished as the second best WR around (14.75 avg) and Donald Driver was ranked tenth (13 avg). Chris Chambers didn't exactly break out as planned, but he was fine as a third receiver.

Worth mentioning is that the Ravens D was the second best defense around and averaged almost as many points as Reggie Wayne (14.3 avg).

So really, not a bad team overall. A top RB, two great WRs, and an amazing D. But that hole at QB really hurt the team, as did the total collapse by Edgerrin James. But the future is bright for Ante Up as the potential keeper core looks pretty solid.

Historical Record
Ante Up has had three 5-8 seasons, with two of those coming in our first two years of existence. After that however, Ante Up has reached the divisional finals twice, despite never quite making it into the Super Bowl. They were the best team in the league in 2005 and not every team has that on their resume.

This team -- when they're not 5-8 -- is just gunning for that ring, coming tantalizingly close a few times but never quite reaching it. They, along with the Monkeys, are the only two teams left in their division without a championship (ironically, they are the two teams who met in Super Bowl 0).

Core Roster
When I think of Ante Up, I think of a strong running game and a great defense. The defining player from this team is actually the Buccaneers Defense. Although they were only technically on the team for three years (2001, 2002, 2004), they were always crazy dominant and often led Ante Up to victory after victory. Even during the years when the Buc D ended up on other teams, Ante Up took strong defenses like Miami (2003), Pittsburgh (2005), and Baltimore (2006) to support their offense. Defense wins championships, well, almost.

Their first ever pick, RB Edgerrin James, has served solidly through thick and thin. Nobody can doubt Edge's skills and he's the only original player left from 2001. The other player that I always associate with Ante Up is Fred Taylor. I thought he was an original Ante Upper, but he actually came on board the next year, in 2002. Aside from that feared combination, backs like Jerome Bettis, Warrick Dunn (2001), and most recently, Brian Westbrook (drafted in 2005) have displayed their skills with this team.

For a long time, Derrick Mason (original draft pick, 2001) was the leader in the WR department. He was joined by Laveranues Coles and Reggie Wayne the following year and since then, Wayne has clearly emerged as a worthy number-one wide receiver. Ante Up has always lacked a traditional superstar receiver however, since Wayne is still the second banana on the Colts.

Jeff Garcia and Trent Green have been the only two men to qualify as franchise quarterbacks on this team. Garcia in his heyday was a monster. And Trent Green has been an underrated fantasy player his whole career. Journeymen like Jake Plummer and Jake Delhomme -- yes, The Two Jakes -- have stepped into the breach at times, but mostly it's been the Trent Green show since he took over the full time reins from Garcia in 2003.

A pounding running game, a dominant defense, and one stud receiver. Sounds like a Steelers team doesn't it? Maybe Ante Up need some magical rookie mojo, like the one Big Ben gave to Pittsburgh in 2005, to push them toward that elusive championship.

Season Breakdowns
2006: 7-6; Edged out of the playoffs despite a winning record.
2005: 10-3; Best record in the league and had a seven game win streak to close out the season. Upset by the Monkeys (103-89) in the divisional finals.
2004: 5-8; Finished in last place, but was only one win away from a playoff spot.
2003: 8-7; Upset the Monkeys (124-108) in the first round, but then lost to eventual champion Jammers (92-122) in the the divisional finals.
2002: 5-8; After starting out 5-3, they lost the last five games of the season to sink to second-to-last place in the division.
2001: 5-8; Finished in last place after losing the final two games of the season.

Stats
Highest Avg Game Score, Season: 102.23 (2005)
Most Points Scored, Game: 140 (2004)
Least Points Scored, Game: 51 (2003)
Best Margin of Victory, Game: 71 (2003)
Worst Margin of Defeat, Game: -63 (2002)
Longest Winning Streak, Season: 7 (2005)
Longest Losing Streak, Season: 5 (2002)