Week 3: The Champ Is Down!

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Well it was bound to happen at some point, I second guessed my way out of a win. I switched out Devonta Freeman, Joseph Randle, & the Eagles D/ST for Danny Woodhead, Darren Sproles, & the Raven's D/ST. Those 84.5 points would've destroyed anyone, I really screwed up!

Not to take anything away from T-Smoke, he's one of the few people I don't mind losing to. He managed to get the victory on the strength of a 44 point night from Aaron Rodgers. I've got to give credit where it's due, Aaron Rodgers is pretty good. Just ask his ex-roommate Kevin Lanflisi:
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Looks like I'm going to have to take it out on you next week B-Shorts. Sorry in advance. Here's a preview of what's to come...
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But as much as I know you all love to hear about me, I understand that there's 11 other people in this league who are helping fund my championship winnings this season so I'll briefly discuss your situations.

*Starting with Joey, who is now the only undefeated team in the league. His greatness rivals that of my own and I'm not looking forward to our matchup to close out the season.

*Davie continues to surprise with Julio Jones leading the way, and the emergence of Tyrod Taylor as a legitimate fantasy quarterback.

*Spae managed to take down the defending champ with the help of an inept 49er's offense led by Kaepernick who gave up way too many points to the Cardinals D/ST.

*@TheOrganic_DILF managed to get a victory this week. But let't not give him too much credit since he was playing against Don.

As for the rest of you, get your record above .500 if you expect me to even acknowledge your existence. Someone as great as me can't be bothered to with peons.

Week 2: @TheOrganic_DILF

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For all the years we've known each other, I'd like to think we have arrived at a place where not much surprises us when it comes to our behaviors. I'm a rabid anti-semite, Devin is blindly devoted to the Republican party, Spae can't spell, and so on.

But my notion of Rock was shattered this past week when his twitter account seemed to focus on the evils of GMO's and how great it was to eat organic. It was at this point that I saw he had changed his twitter handle from @DoodleRock27 to @TheOrganic_DILF

I mostly use my twitter account for following sports. I don't give vent to my feelings of frustration or personal hatreds when it comes to the things that annoy me. As a result, I expect the same thing from the accounts I follow, so when my timeline was flooded with pleas for me to use all natural foods and body lotions, I decided it was time to jump ship. I had to unfollow @TheOrganic_DILF. It's nothing personal, I just need to keep my timeline in sync with my Twitter interests, and @TheOrganic_DILF just wasn't working for me.

Still, I have to admire @TheOrganic_DILF for surprising me after all these years. Rock on @TheOrganic_DILF. Rock on!
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Week 1: Karma!

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As Rock made it a point so often last year to remind us that our contumelious behavior would lead to a vengeful blast of "karma", I thought it only fitting to do an update noting how the tables have turned.

Beginning at the start of last season, when B-Shorts altered his team name to make light of a draft day faux pas, Rock took to the message board to warn of the dangers he would face (in the form of "karma") if he did not change his name.

Much like the doomsday prophets who claimed that the rapture was upon us, we all sat back and waited for the retaliation which never came.

Fast forward to the summer of 2015 when (like every year before) we were set to draft at 1:00PM. But this was not to be, since Rock couldn't arrive until after 3:00. As a result, we changed the drat time to accommodate him.

Karma!

Then in week one, after he displaced everyone in the league, Rock loses his golden boy to a broken foot. Or perhaps a better explanation was that he lost Dez Bryant to... KARMA!

Personally, I don't fear... "the force created by a person's actions that is believed in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine what that person's next life will be like" or "the force created by a person's actions that some people believe causes good or bad things to happen to that person"

I've pissed on the altar of the fantasy football gods more than anyone in the league & I've got two championships. Just like in every other facet of life, nice guys finish last.

If I may quote George Costanza...
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"Attention Steinbrenner and front-office morons! Your triumphs mean nothing. You all stink. You can sit on it, and rotate! This is George Costanza. I fear no reprisal. Extension five-one-seven-oh."
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Post Draft Update

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Well the regular season kicks off tomorrow and with my tuxedo fitting tonight, the mad dash I'm going to make to get all my Kaplan MCAT materials from their website onto my computer, and the fact that I've got to leave for Ellicottville Friday morning for my brother's wedding, I'm going to be unavailable until some time Monday. So I decided to knock out a quick update with the new league photo & ESPN's analysis of our draft. It's ESPN so there's no accounting for quality (I mean, lets face it, they pay Stephen A. Smith for his "analysis"), but it's pretty nice to see them acknowledge the fact that I am easily the front runner for this year's championship.
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2015 Keepers

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So the keepers are in and here's the list:

Urgie:

• Marshawn Lynch

Rock:

• Doug Martin
• Dez Bryant
• Jarvis Landry
• Arian Foster

Don:

• Mike Evans

Joe Pro:

• DeAndre Hopkins
• Emmanuel Sanders

Wadhams:

• Antonio Brown
• Adrian Peterson
• Rob Gronkowski
• LeSean McCoy

Spae:

• Jamaal Charles
• Brandin Cooks

B-Shorts:

• Eddie Lacy
• Demaryius Thomas
• T.Y. Hilton
• Justin Forsett

Joey:

• Calvin Johnson
• A.J. Green
• Randall Cobb
• Sammy Watkins

T-Smoke:

• Aaron Rodgers
• DeMarco Murray

Vic:

• C.J. Anderson
• Andrew Luck
• Jeremy Hill

Davie:

• Julio Jones
• Jimmy Graham
• Alfred Morris

Ginny:

• Le'Veon Bell
• Matt Forte
• Alshon Jeffrey
• Odell Beckham, Jr.

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Here's the draft order for this year:

1. Urgie (Regular Season: 4-9, 1229.5 Points for)
2. Rock (Regular Season: 4-9, 1395.5 Points for)
3. Don (Regular Season: 5-8, 1313.5 Points for)
4. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 6-7, 1339.5 Points for)
5. Wadhams (Regular Season: 6-7, 1535.5 Points for)
6. Spae (Regular Season: 7-6, 1352 Points for)
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7. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 7-6, 1506 Points for)
8. Joey (Regular Season: 8-5, 1488 Points for)
9. T-Smoke (Lost Consolation Game)
10. Vic (Won Consolation Game)
11. Davie (Lost Championship Game)
12. Ginny (2014 League Champion)

There were two trades this off-season:

1. On Saturday, May 2nd, Rock sent his 5th round pick to T-Smoke in exchange for Arian Foster
2. On Sunday, August 30th, Joe Pro sent his 5th round pick to Rock in exchange for Emmanuel Sanders

This will result in the following draft order:

Round 1

Complete

Round 2

1. Urgie

2. Don

Round 3

3. Urgie

4. Don

5. Joe Pro

6. Spae

7. T-Smoke

Round 4

8. Urgie

9. Don

10. Joe Pro

11. Spae

12. T-Smoke

13. Vic

14. Davie

Round 5

15. Urgie

16. T-Smoke (From Rock)

17. Don

18. Rock (From Joe Pro)

19. Wadhams

20. Spae

21. B-Shorts

22. Joey

23. T-Smoke

24. Vic

25. Davie

26. Ginny

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The 2014 acquisition fees (which I would appreciate everyone paying on draft day) will be put into the league treasury fund to pay the expenses for the 2015 draft, trophy engraving and post-season party expenses. The list is as follows:

NFL (Real Niggas)

• Jeremy B-Shorts: 21 Acquisitions = $65
• Wadhams: 12 Acquisitions = $20
• Spae: 17 Acquisitions = $45
• Vic: 12 Acquisitions = $20

UFL (Fuck Niggas)

• Joe Pro: 13 Acquisitions = $25
• Davie: 15 Acquisitions = $35
• Urgie: 12 Acquisitions = $20
• Don: 6 Acquisitions = $6

XFL (Hood Niggas)

• Joey: 5 Acquisitions = $5
• Rock: 12 Acquisitions = $20
• T-Smoke: 16 Acquisitions = $40
• Ginny: 16 Acquisitions = $40

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Four More Weeks & Acquisition Fees

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I realized that in my haste to put up the draft order in the last post that I neglected to recap the acquisition fees we all accumulated in 2014.
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The 2014 acquisition fees (which I would appreciate everyone paying on draft day) will be put into the league treasury fund to pay the expenses for the 2015 draft, trophy engraving and post-season party expenses. The list is as follows:

NFL (Real Niggas)

• Jeremy B-Shorts: 21 Acquisitions = $65
• Wadhams: 12 Acquisitions = $20
• Spae: 17 Acquisitions = $45
• Vic: 12 Acquisitions = $20

UFL (Fuck Niggas)

• Joe Pro: 13 Acquisitions = $25
• Davie: 15 Acquisitions = $35
• Urgie: 12 Acquisitions = $20
• Don: 6 Acquisitions = $6

XFL (Hood Niggas)

• Joey: 5 Acquisitions = $5
• Rock: 12 Acquisitions = $20
• T-Smoke: 16 Acquisitions = $40
• Ginny: 16 Acquisitions = $40

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This year we discussed not getting pizza and wings after the draft. A lot of people leave before the food arrives, the total bill comes to around $90-$100 with delivery and tip, plus there's a good amount of food that goes to waste.

We haven't really talked very much about what the plans are this year after the draft so I'm open to any suggestions you guys might have.
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To recap the previous post:

First, if any of you guys didn't get an email alerting you to the league's reactivation, you probably need to change the email you associate with your ESPN account. For those who didn't take care of it last year, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to the following page: Member Services
2. Click on the "Account Information" link
3. Go to the "Personal Information" tab and click "Edit"
4. Put in your new email address and click "Save"

Second, the draft will likely take place Labor Day weekend on Sunday, September 6th at 1:00PM at Devin & Krissy's house.

Third, remember that the buy in this year will be $150. This will increase the payout to:

1st Place: $1000
2nd Place: $600
3rd Place: $200

Fourth, here's the draft order for this year:

1. Urgie (Regular Season: 4-9, 1229.5 Points for)
2. Rock (Regular Season: 4-9, 1395.5 Points for)
3. Don (Regular Season: 5-8, 1313.5 Points for)
4. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 6-7, 1339.5 Points for)
5. Wadhams (Regular Season: 6-7, 1535.5 Points for)
6. Spae (Regular Season: 7-6, 1352 Points for)
7. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 7-6, 1506 Points for)
8. Joey (Regular Season: 8-5, 1488 Points for)
9. T-Smoke (Lost Consolation Game)
10. Vic (Won Consolation Game)
11. Davie (Lost Championship Game)
12. Ginny (2014 League Champion)

2015 Season

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It's still only May, but ESPN has allowed us to activate the 2015 league page. Not much new to report since training camps aren't going to even start for another two months, but there's nothing wrong with trying to get a jump start on things.

First, if any of you guys didn't get an email alerting you to the league's reactivation, you probably need to change the email you associate with your ESPN account. For those who didn't take care of it last year, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to the following page: Member Services
2. Click on the "Account Information" link
3. Go to the "Personal Information" tab and click "Edit"
4. Put in your new email address and click "Save"

Second, the draft will likely take place Labor Day weekend on Sunday, September 6th at 1:00PM at Devin & Krissy's house.

Third, remember that the buy in this year will be $150. This will increase the payout to:

1st Place: $1000
2nd Place: $600
3rd Place: $200

Fourth, here's the draft order for this year:

1. Urgie (Regular Season: 4-9, 1229.5 Points for)
2. Rock (Regular Season: 4-9, 1395.5 Points for)
3. Don (Regular Season: 5-8, 1313.5 Points for)
4. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 6-7, 1339.5 Points for)
5. Wadhams (Regular Season: 6-7, 1535.5 Points for)
6. Spae (Regular Season: 7-6, 1352 Points for)
7. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 7-6, 1506 Points for)
8. Joey (Regular Season: 8-5, 1488 Points for)
9. T-Smoke (Lost Consolation Game)
10. Vic (Won Consolation Game)
11. Davie (Lost Championship Game)
12. Ginny (2014 League Champion)

And finally, enjoy the off-season. It's been a long winter
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2014 Champion

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Well, it finally happened. It took 12 seasons, but Devin finally broke through and won his first league championship. After numerous seasons of "close but not quite" finishes that were mired with choking at the most inopportune of times, he can finally be crowned champion.

I guess I'm kind of happy for him. There were so many occasions when we pointed out that he never won it all, that I was starting to feel sorry for the guy.

As for the consolation game, I thought for sure T-Smoke had it locked up. But God moves in mysterious ways, and Vic was able to pull off the upset and secured third place this season.

So that's it. The money has been paid out, the trophy has been engraved, and the 2014 UDFFL season is officially over. Enjoy the off-season everyone, and congratulations to Devin on becoming one of the nine people to get their name on the Underdogs Champion's Cup (I'm aware of that title being an oxymoron, it's meant to be ironic).
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For those who were wondering, here's the official draft order for 2015:

1. Urgie (Regular Season: 4-9, 1229.5 Points for)
2. Rock (Regular Season: 4-9, 1395.5 Points for)
3. Don (Regular Season: 5-8, 1313.5 Points for)
4. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 6-7, 1339.5 Points for)
5. Wadhams (Regular Season: 6-7, 1535.5 Points for)
6. Spae (Regular Season: 7-6, 1352 Points for)
7. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 7-6, 1506 Points for)
8. Joey (Regular Season: 8-5, 1488 Points for)
9. T-Smoke (Lost Consolation Game)
10. Vic (Won Consolation Game)
11. Davie (Lost Championship Game)
12. Ginny (2014 League Champion)

See you all in 2015!

The 2014 Championship: Merry Fucking Christmas!

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It's a sick world. Our government just passed the 18 trillion dollar debt mark (to put things into perspective, one trillion seconds is over 31,688 years), there is a virtual media blackout on the massive increase in white people being set on fire by black thugs, and worst of all Davie and Ginny are going head to head for the 2014 Championship.

That's right, by this time next week, one of those two guys will have their name on the trophy. Next to mine no less. I thought this was supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.

I'd ask everyone during these dark times to pray to Jesus for help, but it's clear he's forsaken us all after he helped Vic pick this season's schedule.

The Final Four: It's No Place for Fuck Niggas

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The season is winding down, and this year's league champion will be crowned no later than December 22nd. As per usual, I will get the money to the necessary participants as quickly as possible, and the trophy engraved as soon as possible.

Secondly, I'd like to offer my condolences to Joey & B-Shorts after two hard fought matches. It's never easy putting up a huge amount of points and not winning, especially in the playoffs.

Finallly, here's the revised draft order for 2015:

1. Urgie (Regular Season: 4-9, 1229.5 Points for)
2. Rock (Regular Season: 4-9, 1395.5 Points for)
3. Don (Regular Season: 5-8, 1313.5 Points for)
4. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 6-7, 1339.5 Points for)
5. Wadhams (Regular Season: 6-7, 1535.5 Points for)
6. Spae (Regular Season: 7-6, 1352 Points for)
7. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 7-6, 1506 Points for)
8. Joey (Regular Season: 8-5, 1488 Points for)

Good luck this week to the four remaining teams.

Week 13: The Glass Case of Emotion

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I had an exam today so I spent last night studying rather than updating the site.

So here I am, a year removed from my second championship and I don't even get into the postseason. This despite the fact that I have the third most points scored this year. It's all thanks to Vic and his schedule choosing abilities.

Speaking of which, I beat out Devin by 13 points for the title of most points against. That means I'll choose the random four numbers to determine next year's schedule. I'm going to have to start looking into Satanic rituals to ensure the best results.

Finally, here's how the draft order for 2015 will begin. That Lamar Miller touchdown last night gave me the win and dropped me a draft spot below Joe Pro. That's just the way it goes, play for pride no matter the stakes & don't be a pussy trying to lay down for draft positioning (unless you're the Sabres). Just a reminder, the determining factors when it comes to standings are:

1. Record
2. Points Scored

The head to head record isn't an accurate indicator of a team's ability when it comes to tiebreakers since certain players could have been on a bye week during the match-up. A team's total points scored is a much better way to gauge the of the quality of the roster.

1. Urgie (Regular Season: 4-9, 1229.5 Points for)
2. Rock (Regular Season: 4-9, 1395.5 Points for)
3. Don (Regular Season: 5-8, 1313.5 Points for)
4. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 6-7, 1339.5 Points for)
5. Wadhams (Regular Season: 6-7, 1535.5 Points for)
6. Spae (Regular Season: 7-6, 1352 Points for)

Finally, the following people still have not paid their $100 entry fee:

• Urgie
• Don
• B-Shorts

If you could get the money together by the time the season ends it would be greatly appreciated since I like to do the payouts as soon as possible. This is the last year before the buy-in goes up to $150, so this year's distribution will be:

1st Place: $750
2nd Place: $350
3rd Place: $100

Starting in 2015, the payout will be

1st Place: $1000
2nd Place: $600
3rd Place: $200

Week 11.5 - The Florida Trip Hangover

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When I got back from Florida this week I was burned out enough to the point that I didn't feel any compelling need to update the site. Plus I'd been preparing all week for an exam that was scheduled for Friday the 21st (with classes cancelled, I've got another three days of prep time).

So in light of the break in my schedule, I thought I'd take it upon myself to do a new league manager's note.

To be honest, I still don't have a lot of interest in how things pan out since my team isn't consistent at putting up points in a competitive manner. Though I did pick up Latavius Murray on a count of the fact he went to UCF & was set to get an expanded role in the Oakland offense. It worked out pretty well for me... for the first half of Thursday's game.

I had considered trying to grab Jonas Gray off the free agent wire, but I felt like he was destined to be a one week wonder. Since Vic had him on his roster just a few days before playing me, it was obvious that the fantasy Gods were going to give him a big week. But Vic cut him and he went on to have a 4 TD game that wouldn't be repeated.

Until T-Smoke picked him up.

Since I'm playing T in the final week of the regular season, look for Gray to have another monster game.

Well, that's it for now. Too bad about the Jets game, I was looking forward to another bus trip to the stadium.

Week 10: That's It For Me

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Acknowledging the fact that I wouldn't have beaten anyone this week, it's time to throw in the towel and look towards next year. The problem is that I even though I don't care anymore, and I'm all but eliminated from the post season, I have to keep doing these updates since Rock gets upset if I don't.
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In fact, I care so little about how things transpire from here on out that I can't even discuss what's going on with the standings since I haven't even looked at who's doing well and who isn't.

And on that note, I'm taking off for Florida. See you next week.

Week 9: The Sacrilegious Schedule

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Once again, I pulled myself back at the last second and shelved an update that would have centered around my contempt for Vic and Jesus. This has happened thrice this season (I'm bringing the word "thrice" back because I feel it's been grossly underused over the years), and one of these days the floodgates are going to burst open and I'll spew all the venom I've been suppressing. But this is not that day.

Instead I'd like to acknowledge the fact that there are only 2 teams who have scored more points than me this season (Ginny & T-Smoke), yet I have a 4-5 record and am on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. I have the most points scored against me this year.

Ginny has the most points scored, but he is also at 4-5 due to the schedule fucking him as well. Both he and I have had the unfortunate luck to have our opponents score an UNGODLY amount of points against us when we play.

Meanwhile Vic's above average team is sitting pretty at 6-3 and is a virtual lock to make the postseason.

This is how I imagine Vic privately celebrating every win this year...
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That's the way things go when you have a head-to-head schedule. I'm not complaining though, I'd rather face an opponent each week instead of dealing a cumulative points scored system.

Still, it could be worse. I could be that sucker who turned down Rock's offer of Emmanuel Sanders in an epic trade. I won't name names. You know what a horrible decision it was to pass up on that.

Week 8: Bye Weeks and Beatdowns

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First, I just want to apologize for not doing an update last week. I had a big exam on Friday and I dedicated most of my free time to preparing for it. Also, I've been keeping an archive of League Manager's Notes since 2008, and it's tough coming up with new things.

That being said, I'd like to congratulate all of this week's winners. With the exception of Vic, everyone had triple digit points. As for the people who lost (especially Ginny), tough break. It's never easy putting up a bunch of points and not getting the win. There's still five games left in the regular season, so don't give up yet.

Finally, on Sunday we decided that since the Bills have their bye this week, that we'd meet up at the Pub with some people from other fantasy leagues. And by "me" I mean Ginny & Spae. I think it's pretty obvious by now that I don't socialize much beyond the bare minimum, so the idea that I'd know enough people in another league to justify getting everyone together to hang out is a pretty foreign concept.

So come one, come all and meet up with us at the Pub. It's the one time each year when our attention will solely be focused on the fantasy match-ups and not how the Bills perform.

Week 6: It's Probably the Cherry Wheat Talking

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Alright, just a heads up. The main reason I didn't do an update earlier this week was because I had a lab practical exam on Tuesday that I was studying for. After it ended, I didn't really have much to say so I figured I'd spare you guys a pointless rambling session.

Fast forward to Wednesday night. Spae & I leave the gym & I head over to Wegman's to grab a six pack of Cherry Wheat (Since they don't sell them in 12 packs).

Now here we sit at just after 1:00AM on Thursday and I seemed to have been hit with a small amount of inspiration. Maybe it's the booze, maybe it's the Buckethead - Pike 65 I'm listening to, or maybe it's the fact that I don't want to do a power rankings where I comment on every team. Whatever the case, I'd like to call my shot as to the teams I think will make the post season. Since we're pretty much at the half-way point, I figure now is as good a time as any. Plus whatever predictions I make now can't be held against me when it comes to who will win the championship since all bets are off when weeks 14, 15, & 16 take place.

So here are my post season players, in no particular order

T-Smoke - I'll be the first to admit that I didn't think his team was in any position to strike after the season began. But I'm glad to see that one of the founding members of our league is finally playing from a position of strength. Demarco Murray & Arian Foster are an incredible 1 + 2 punch at the running back position. It reminds me of my LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson hookup that led me to a championship last year. As long as Aaron Rodgers (the embodiment of heterosexuality) doesn't get distracted by all the laid I'm sure he's getting from Olivia Munn, this is a team that can finish in the money for the first time in league history.

Ginny - Once again, Ginny is running amok with points scoring in the regular season. In fact, he's leading the league in total points scored! The biggest reason he's only .500 is because he's had opponents put up a whopping 776.5 against him after the first six weeks of the season. Not to worry though, he'll be playing for the cup once week 14 hits. The only question is, will he finally break through or spend another year wondering what could've been.

Vic - Well, well, well. If the Lord's mercy hasn't finally blessed you with a team worthy of it's namesake. You possess the #1 quarterback, #1, wide receiver, and #1 tight end in the league. All three have a high ceiling for the amount of points they can put up each week, so it's going to be tough for anyone to bet against you as the season goes on. It's officially become a race between you, Joey, & I to see who can become the first three time league champion.

Davie - While the Matt Ryan to Julio Jones hookup has gotten flat as of late, you've still got a decent enough team to make opponents worry about playing you each week. I don't really fell like giving you too many compliments since I'm still bitter that you had your wedding take place on Yom Kippur. As a lawyer, you need to learn to have a little more respect for the high holidays.

Wadhams - A little self-serving I know, but despite Adrian Peterson's suspension due to the assault charges on his son (American's picked a helluva time to become concerned with a black child's well being), I managed to keep my head above water with a few free agent pickups and the emergence of Antonio Brown as a top tier wide receiver. Truth be told, I was as shocked as anyone when I realized I have the 4th most points scored this year.

Joey - In the words of the half Jewish, half black, Canadian rapper Drake: "Started from the bottom now my whole team fucking here". You finished in second to last place last season, and despite injuries to Calvin Johnson & A.J. Green, you're in the picture for the playoffs. If those two come back to play at their potential, it's difficult to see many teams beating you each week.

Week 5: There's Not Really Much To Say

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I'll keep this short since I really don't feel like there's anything really compelling to discuss.

First, I'd like to give a shout out to Rock for fighting the good fight this week even though his team came up short. It's never easy when you put up 131.5 points and still can't walk away with a victory. While your team isn't great, I think it deserves to be a little better than 1-4.

Second, I want to thank Joe Pro for defeating Davie (is it spelled Davie, Davey or Davy?) and putting an end to the unbeaten teams for this year.

Third, respect goes out to Ginny. The guy has the most points scored this season, but he also has the most points scored against. This is another classic example of getting victimized by the schedule, so you can thank Vic for only having two victories this season.

Fourth and finally, I'd like to congratulate T-Smoke on the way his team has been performing. As an original member of our league who has also never finished in the money, it's nice to see you doing so well.

Week 4: Giving Credit Where It's Due

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This half-hearted spike pretty well sums up how I felt about Gronkowski's meaningless touchdown. The fantasy football regular season is 31% complete, and after talking with Spae Monday night, we both agreed that our keepers were playing at a level far worse than any of us could have ever predicted coming into this year.

What's more, is that myself (as well as several other people) had our doubts as to the quality of the players being kept by both Davie and Vic. Luck and Ryan felt like a bit of a stretch at the time, but they both have proven me wrong as they continue to dominate week after week.

I'd like to think that by now most of you understand that for all the criticism I put out there, I'll still acknowledge the occasions when I am wrong. This is one of them. Davie and Vic were smarter than me this year, and that's all I'm going to say for now.

Week 3: 2014 - The Year of the Under-performing Keepers

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The delay in this week's update wasn't due to laziness or a lack of ideas, I just wanted to wait until ESPN updated their statistical data for each player I'm about to discuss.

I'd like to start by saying that maybe it's only because my team has been affected by the Adrian Peterson scandal, but I've noticed that this year has had more keepers reaching bust status than any time in the past.

But it's not just me who's had their keepers under-perform, there are a bunch of players not living up to their potential. I figured it would be best to do the math now because no teams have had a bye yet. With that in mind, I compiled a list of everyone's keepers, and where they rank at their respective positions.

Don:

• No Keepers

Joey:

• Calvin Johnson, WR - 4th
• A.J. Green, WR - 17th
• C.J. Spiller, RB - 27th
• Randall Cobb, WR - 22nd

Vic:

• Andrew Luck, QB - 1st
• Jordy Nelson, WR - 2nd
• Julius Thomas, TE - 1st
• Montee Ball, RB - 25th

T-Smoke:

• Aaron Rodgers, QB - 10th
• Arian Foster, RB - 16th
• Demarco Murray, RB - 1st
• Ben Tate, RB - 82nd

B-Shorts:

• Eddie Lacy, RB - 48th
• Demaryius Thomas, WR - 34th

Urgie:

• Marshawn Lynch, RB - 2nd
• Reggie Bush, RB - 23rd

Joe Pro:

• Vincent Jackson, WR - 54th

Rock:

• Doug Martin, RB - 101st
• Dez Bryant, WR - 6th
• Andre Ellington, RB - 24th

Davie:

• Matt Ryan, QB - 2nd
• Julio Jones, WR - 1st
• Jimmy Graham, TE - 4th
• Alfred Morris, RB - 11th

Ginny:

• Matt Forte, RB - 13th
• Peyton Manning, QB - 3rd
• Le'Veon Bell, RB - 3rd
• Ashlon Jeffrey, WR - 28th

Spae:

• Jamaal Charles, RB - 79th
• Drew Brees, QB - 9th
• Brandon Marshall, WR - 14th
• Giovani Bernard, RB - 4th

Wadhams:

• LeSean McCoy, RB - 16th
• Adrian Peterson, RB - 62nd
• Rob Gronkowski, TE - 9th
• Antonio Brown, WR - 5th

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So if you take the average of the keepers rankings for each team, you get the following: (Note, this data is somewhat loaded since the top ranked TE has the same number of points scored as the 14th ranked QB. Also, keepers ranged from 0 to 4, so take it all with a grain of salt).

1. Davie: Avg. 4.5
2. Vic: Avg. 7.25
3. Ginny: Avg. 11.75
4. Urgie: Avg. 12.5
5. Joey: Avg. 17.5
6. Wadhams: Avg. 23
7. Spae: Avg. 26.5
8. B-Shorts: Avg. 41
9. Rock: Avg. 43.67
10. Joe Pro: Avg. 54
11. T-Smoke: Avg. 54.5
12. Don: No Keepers

Again, let me just say that this is not an indictment of anyone's team or a litmus test as to predict future success. There are other factors to take into consideration when determining the quality of a team such as: how well the draft went, how many points your opponent scores, who got injured/suspended, and which players have a bye.

The only reason I compiled this data was to show who's keepers were performing the best so far this season.
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Week 2: My Nigga B-Shorts

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It's still only week two, so in keeping with my usual policy of not rushing to judgement regarding the quality of anyone's team (no offense to T-Smoke, Davie, or Joey), I decided to take a short moment to discuss B-Shorts.

First, I'd like to commend him on grabbing Knile Davis off the free agent wire at 3:00AM. I must have missed him by only a fraction of a second since I made a grab the second the clock hit 3:00:00

Second, I've got to give him the thumbs up for staying strong and keeping his current team name. With all the talk this year about how the Redskins should change their name because it's a derogatory term, it's nice seeing an owner stick to his guns when confronted with people wanting to ban something simply because they don't like it.
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In all seriousness though, I just don't get what's so offensive about the name. We all understand that as friends, there are lines that we shouldn't cross, and I don't see this as one of them. If he were insulting your children, or making fun of painful events from your past, I could totally understand getting upset. I hardly think a team name focusing on an anecdote from this years draft falls into that category.

Week 1: Seven Years a Draft Board

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Devin suggested last week that I do an update where I post the pictures from our previous drafts. Since this started back in 2003, we've undergone several changes before we found the right format that makes our league what it is.

From 2003-2007, I would print out sheets of paper listing each position (QB, RB, etc.) and each person would write in their draft picks. While this was practical from a financial standpoint, it deprived us of several key benefits that accompany a draft board.

First, there were numerous occasions when people would try drafting a player who was already taken by someone else. This was especially irritating in the late rounds when we had been drinking for hours and would miss some picks. By having the draft board, the presence or absence of a sticker will tell the whole story. Or at the very least it takes a lot of the guess work out of it.

Second, with each person having their roster in their hands and not up for everyone to see, it was difficult to speculate which position anyone would be targeting. with the draft board, you can tell if someone is in the market for a tight end, backup quarterback, or a flex wide receiver option. This allows each of us to alter our own draft accordingly

Finally, it lets us to view the draft results all year round as it is constantly on display in the Ginty garage (car hole).

The point is, once the board was brought into the mix, we started taking pictures of the group after every draft .

So let's take a stroll down memory lane:
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2008

Before the start of the 2008 season, Spae took it upon himself to buy a draft board. He was gracious enough to pay out of pocket, so we went to OfficeMax and bought two sheets of foam board on which to mount it.

This was the second year where we held the draft at Devin & Krissy's house. Up until that point it would take place at Laborfest.

It was a still a ten man league, with Tim making his picks via AIM.
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2009

The 2009 season started with the addition of two new teams which were manned by Davie and Don. It also marked Tim's final year as a member of the UDFFL. The hassles of conducting a draft over a computer (that was Newman's job in case you were wondering why he was in the picture), had became too much to bear and we parted ways amicably.
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2010

2010 saw us finalize our current lineup with the addition of B-Shorts to the league. It also was the year that brought us a customized draft board. In an effort to save money, I got the least expensive one possible and the result was getting a board made from material which was unlaminated. This meant it was good for only one use.
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2011

The draft date in 2011  had a forecast which called for rain. Since the previous three drafts were held on the back porch, the decision was made to move the event to the garage. This is how we made our way to our current location. The first order of business was finding a way to reuse the custom draft board. The result was somewhat half-assed, but it got the job done. I simply ordered a new standard board and taped it over the old one. It was at this time the J.J. Watt jersey became part of the draft day process. I wrote a short poem to tell the story:

"I gave it to Don, who threw it away. T'was was picked up by B-Shorts, and worn on draft day."

This was a particularly memorable year due to the absence of Davie, who decided that attending an Elton John concert was more important than our fantasy draft. (I'm not making that up)
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2012

This was pretty much the same thing as the previous years. The league members had stabilized, the draft location was a repeat, the J.J. Watt jersey was present. However, there was a new inclusion to the draft day tradition: Slap Cup. For the past three occasions, after the draft (usually while I'm uploading the results), a violent/extreme game of slap cup emerges. Also, Joe Pro and I argued a little.
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2013

The year after Rock won the championship. This was a guy who at one time kept the Buffalo Bills defense, and drafted Ron Dayne & Lionel Gates after they both were cut... in the same year!

Since Rock felt that for us to simply hand him the trophy and money would be too informal, we decided to go all out. Spae brought his mother's fur coat and his prom king crown. I provided a $11.99 half-gallon of J.Roget Spumante as well as a "King" chalice to hold the libation. To finish things off, we threw rose petals at his feet as he walked to the draft board all the while playing the Carmina Burana section of the medieval Latin Goliardic song: "O Fortuna" .

A lesser known fact was that this was the year we got our permanent/laminated draft board. We also chose our official league colors: navy blue & gray. The same ones used by our high school
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2014

This included the unveiling of the new Underdogs Cup. I spent $174 of my winnings to completely have the base redone to fit my original vision: I wanted it to look like the William M. Jennings Trophy

I'd like to tell you more about this draft, but I had a lot to drink that day/night. After I finished the 750ml bottle of Jim Beam 8 year, I started drinking big man's, which lets be honest, always leads to memory impairment. At some point during the evening a pint glass got broken in Devin's garage, and we wound up going to the Pub around 10:00 or so. I remember I was starting to fade so I dug into my emergency fund and bought a bunch of "Blastas'" (aka. Jäger Bombs). Living up to my persona, I was able to continue drinking the rest of the night.
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2015

This was Joey's last year. I thought I'd lead with that story because it pains me to acknowledge that this was the first time Devin won the league championship.

It was an unusually hot draft day, so much so that I couldn't bear to wear my "Marvelous Marc Mero" robe due to the threat of passing out from heat stroke.

We had to push the draft back until 3:00PM on a count of Rock, but since Don was in London for work, another draft day compromise didn't seem like too big of a deal. The evening before, Spae bought me a 750ml bottle of Jim Beam Signature Craft. Since I called my shot that I would win the championship this season, I was going to need all the confidence I could muster. As a result, I downed the whole bottle and drafted the best team imaginable. This was the second year I got absolutely obliterated drunk, and it was the first year we decided not to order any pizzas on a count of how much got wasted each of the previous years.

The next morning I was struggling to find the draft day money, and I began to panic. Little did I know that even in my intoxicated state I still had the good sense to put the cash away in my backpack's secret compartment. Nevertheless, I thought it would be best if I curbed my draft day drinking in the future.

As usual, I was good by my word and locked up my third championship. The second in the past three years.
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2016

This was Linhart's first year in the league after taking over for Joey's team. Once again, Rock asked us to push back the draft time from our usual 1:00PM kick-off, to the more west coast friendly 4:00PM. Seeing as how T-Smoke was doing an online draft for another league at 1:30PM, and we had to divide our Sabres season tickets among Spae, Devin, T-Smoke, and I, it wasn't all that inconvenient.

It was somewhat lonely on my island bar that Joey & I would use to conspire against our fellow league members, but in the words of Sinestro from the film: "Green Lantern: First Flight"... "I start alone, I end alone"

The draft began with my promise of a second consecutive championship before I slammed my XXX out of the cup, and we were off. Although I had tried wearing my "Marvelous Marc Mero" robe the previous season, this was the first time Don had seen it. I'd have to say, the robe was the hit of the draft.

This year I pretty much stayed away from drinking on a count of the last two years, and when the draft was completed, I immediately put everyone's rosters into the website. It's always a lengthy process taking about an hour, but if I've been drinking, it takes even longer and I'm more prone to errors... in theory.

Once the work was done, Devin cranked up the country music and the only remaining champions (Spae, Devin, Rock, and I) decided to play a game of "fingers" with the cup. Since only those who have won a championship may touch or have their photo taken with it, B-Shorts, Don, and Linhart were ineligible.

It came down to Rock and I, and let me tell you, drinking out of the cup has to be the most vile method of ingesting alcohol. Fortunately, I was able to eek out the victory, and Rock had to taste the bitterness of defeat in the form of room temperature, metallic infused, Bud Ice.

Devin's country music playlist must have been on repeat because that fucking "Tonight it's bottom's up" song played at least five times.

After watching Notre Dame get beaten by Texas on my iPad, we decided to take the beauty that is the "Marvelous Marc Mero" robe to the Pub. Since I hadn't been drinking, I agreed to drive everyone in Don's truck.

Once again, the robe was a hit and it was passed around from person to person. The rest of the guys closed the place out and we made our way back to Devin's around 3:00AM. I drove Linhart home and so ended the 2016 UDFFL Draft Day Experience.
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Well, there you have it. I'll probably continue to update this post every year so as to include a recap of each successive draft. Don't worry, I'll provide the link on the fantasy site's front page.

2014 Season

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The draft is in the books and the new season gets underway this Thursday evening, so good luck everyone.

Today provided us with another reminder that no matter how close we set our draft date to the start of the NFL season, there'll always be unexpected problems with the players.

Most notably, Wes Welker's 4 game suspension for Amphetamines. This hurts Davie for sure since he drafted him in the 5th round. But December is a long ways away, and it's still way too early to predict who this year's elite teams are.
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Keepers 2014

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Alright, the keepers are locked in and we are now less than a week away from the draft. Here's how it's going to pan out:

Don:

• No Keepers

Joey:

• Calvin Johnson
• A.J. Green
• C.J. Spiller
• Randall Cobb

Vic:

• Andrew Luck
• Jordy Nelson
• Julius Thomas
• Montee Ball

T-Smoke:

• Aaron Rodgers
• Arian Foster
• Demarco Murray
• Ben Tate

B-Shorts:

• Eddie Lacy
• Demaryius Thomas

Urgie:

• Marshawn Lynch
• Reggie Bush

Joe Pro:

• Vincent Jackson

Rock:

• Doug Martin
• Dez Bryant
• Andre Ellington

Davie:

• Matt Ryan
• Julio Jones
• Jimmy Graham
• Alfred Morris

Ginny:

• Matt Forte
• Peyton Manning
• Le'Veon Bell
• Ashlon Jeffrey

Spae:

• Jamaal Charles
• Drew Brees
• Brandon Marshall
• Giovani Bernard

Wadhams:

• LeSean McCoy
• Adrian Peterson
• Rob Gronkowski
• Antonio Brown

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For those who didn't remember the draft order, here it is again:

1. Don (Regular Season: 3-10, 1290.5 Points for)
2. Joey (Regular Season: 4-9, 1372 Points for)
3. Vic (Regular Season: 4-9, 1442 Points for)
4. T-Smoke (Regular Season: 5-8, 1235 Points for)
5. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 5-8, 1258 Points for)
6. Urgie (Regular Season: 5-8, 1340 Points for)
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7. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 7-6, 1445 Points for)
8. Rock (Regular Season: 9-4, 1321.5 Points for)
9. Davie (Lost Consolation Game)
10. Ginny (Won Consolation Game)
11. Spae (Lost Championship Game)
12. Wadhams (2013 Champion)
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As always, to try and cut down on the confusion, here's things will go:

Round 1

1. Don

Round 2

2. Don

3. Joe Pro

Round 3

4. Don

5. B-Shorts

6. Urgie

7. Joe Pro

Round 4

8. Don

9. B-Shorts

10. Urgie

11. Joe Pro

12. Rock

Round 5

13. Don

14. Joey

15. Vic

16. T-Smoke

17. B-Shorts

18. Urgie

19. Joe Pro

20. Rock

21. Davie

22. Ginny

23. Spae

24. Wadhams

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Finally, the 2013 acquisition fees (which I would appreciate everyone paying on draft day) will be put into the league treasury fund to pay the expenses for the 2014 draft, trophy engraving and post-season party expenses. The list is as follows:

NFL

• Jeremy B-Shorts: 8 Acquisitions = $8
• Wadhams: 24 Acquisitions = $80
• Spae: 20 Acquisitions = $60
• Vic: 7 Acquisitions = $7

UFL

• Joe Pro: 8 Acquisitions = $8
• Davie: 16 Acquisitions = $40
• Urgie: 6 Acquisitions = $6
• Don: 5 Acquisitions = $5

XFL

• Joey: 17 Acquisitions = $45
• Rock: 13 Acquisitions = $25
• T-Smoke: 15 Acquisitions = $35
• Ginny: 11 Acquisitions = $15

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The Presidents Trophy?

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In case you weren't already aware, I used a chunk of my winnings this year to get the trophy modified so it fits my original vision for when I got it made over a decade ago. The chalice was removed and put on its new foundation, which left the old base stripped of nameplates and dignity.

Since I didn't have any use for it, I decided to re-purpose it into a new trophy for the league. Unofficially, it will be called "The Presidents Trophy", and it will be awarded to the team who finishes the regular season with the most points scored.

Since the website information goes back to 2004, we can retroactively put the names of everyone on there who ever finished with the most points scored. As you can see, the bowl will be the same as the one used on the championship trophy, just to a smaller scale. The only issues left to be resolved are:

1. What to call this trophy?
2. Will there be a cash prize attached to it?

If we each pay an additional $10 on draft day, the winner would get $120. But since nobody is reading this, the draft will probably be the first time anyone hears anything about it.

2014 Season Preview

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Well, the draft is just about two months away (Sunday August 31 at 1:00PM in Devin's Garage) and I'm starting to get things organized for the season. I'm ordering the labels for the draft board and I decided I might as well post the draft order & acquisition fees.
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The 2013 acquisition fees (which I would appreciate everyone paying on draft day) will be put into the league treasury fund to pay the expenses for the 2014 draft, trophy engraving and post-season party expenses. The list is as follows:

NFL

• Jeremy B-Shorts: 8 Acquisitions = $8
• Wadhams: 24 Acquisitions = $80
• Spae: 20 Acquisitions = $60
• Vic: 7 Acquisitions = $7

UFL

• Joe Pro: 8 Acquisitions = $8
• Davie: 16 Acquisitions = $40
• Urgie: 6 Acquisitions = $6
• Don: 5 Acquisitions = $5

XFL

• Joey: 17 Acquisitions = $45
• Rock: 13 Acquisitions = $25
• T-Smoke: 15 Acquisitions = $35
• Ginny: 11 Acquisitions = $15

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With that taken care of, the 2014 draft order will be as follows:

1. Don (Regular Season: 3-10, 1290.5 Points for)
2. Joey (Regular Season: 4-9, 1372 Points for)
3. Vic (Regular Season: 4-9, 1442 Points for)
4. T-Smoke (Regular Season: 5-8, 1235 Points for)
5. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 5-8, 1258 Points for)
6. Urgie (Regular Season: 5-8, 1340 Points for)
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7. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 7-6, 1445 Points for)
8. Rock (Regular Season: 9-4, 1321.5 Points for)
9. Davie (Lost Consolation Game)
10. Ginny (Won Consolation Game)
11. Spae (Lost Championship Game)
12. Wadhams (2013 Champion)
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Remember, keepers must be locked in by Sunday August 24th at 5:00PM; Exactly one week before the draft;
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Finally, since Vic once again had the distinction of getting the most points scored against him this season (1540), he'll choose the random 4 numbers to determine the 2014 schedule.

The Offseason

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"Pull out my trophy, that's my lil' nigga"

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Even though the NFL Draft hasn't taken place yet, ESPN is letting me activate the 2014 league. So I figured I'd take this time to post a photo of the new trophy & list the draft order for the upcoming season.
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Here's the 2014 draft order:

1. Don (Regular Season: 3-10, 1290.5 Points for)
2. Joey (Regular Season: 4-9, 1372 Points for)
3. Vic (Regular Season: 4-9, 1442 Points for)
4. T-Smoke (Regular Season: 5-8, 1235 Points for)
5. B-Shorts (Regular Season: 5-8, 1258 Points for)
6. Urgie (Regular Season: 5-8, 1340 Points for)
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7. Joe Pro (Regular Season: 7-6, 1445 Points for)
8. Rock (Regular Season: 9-4, 1321.5 Points for)
9. Davie (Lost Consolation Game) 
10. Ginny (Won Consolation Game) 
11. Spae (Lost Championship Game) 
12. Wadhams (2013 Champion) 
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Additionally, since Vic once again had the distinction of getting the most points scored against him this season (1540), he'll choose the random 4 numbers to determine the 2014 schedule.

2013 Championship Matchup: So This Is How It Ends...

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"Put ya signs in they face!"

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For the last half-decade, Spae has longed for this day. The day when he not only was on the brink of becoming the UDFFL Champion once again, but when he had the opportunity to win it at my expense.

It hasn't been easy for the Spae man to forget our showdown in the 2008 championship game. I berated him at every possible turn, and pretty much did everything I could to ensure karma would bitch slap me across the face. But the fantasy football Gods had other plans. Specifically, to injure Jonathan Stewart at the beginning of the Panthers/Giants game. This of course paved the way for the 7 touchdown, 195 yards rushing performance I got from Brandon Jacobs and DeAngelo Williams, handing me my first championship.

Now here we stand on the brink of adding a third two-time champion to the annals of our league's history.

As a man of my word, I'll keep my promise to Spae and abstain from talking about who I think will win. All I know is that on draft day this year, Spae said his data analysis indicated that I had the best team. While I explained that my program listed him as the best team.

After this week, one of us will be proven right, and the other will be champion. Good luck!

Underdogs Fantasy Football: A 10 Year Retrospective

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With the final four teams about to engage in a horrible battle to the death, and all the hate that's risen up among everyone, I can't help but think about the events that led us to this point.

To completely tell the story of our league's origin, we must go back to the very beginning... It all started on a warm summer night in 1998.

Back then, I was just a teenager who had recently completed his first year of community college. In addition to that momentous accomplishment, I also met my first true love. I won't say her name, everyone knows who she was. My summer was spent waking up at 3:00PM, working out, eating dinner, watching the Astros, and then going to my girlfriend's house. She and I would spend the rest of the night together, until she needed to go to sleep for the evening, at which point I'd drive two blocks over to Joey's place on Wallace Ave. We'd drink whatever booze our underage hands could get a hold of, watch documentaries, break into the illegal daycare center nearby, steal the over-sized funballs, barbecue on the grill, and pass out. This cycle repeated itself for the better part of the summer. Until the day came in early-August when my girlfriend and I broke up. To say I didn't let it get me down would be like saying the U.S. shrugged of 9/11. I've never been that depressed before or again. (It's actually the last time I cried while sober: August 9, 1998).

Joey & I still hung out every day, and I could sense he knew that I'd hit rock bottom. That's why I'd like to believe he decided to start his own fantasy football league in an attempt to break me out of my funk. It all began on August 14th when Joey was taking a drag off his smoke in the living room. He said: "So, I'm thinking of starting my own fantasy football league this year. You interested?"

Now this was 1998. The Sabres had just gotten eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals, and the year before, they'd won the Northeast Division title. Long story short, the NHL was all I cared about. Ginny & I would hang out and drink on Saturday nights watching hockey until the last game on CBC ended around 1:00AM. Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season, so football wasn't a sport I followed or cared about anymore. But out of respect for Joey, and the fact that he's never steered me wrong before, I decided to give it a shot.

The draft was held the first week of September, just before the regular season started. We were in the backyard of Kagles' house. It was me, Joey, Kurt Johnson, Dave Williams, the Quarantillo brothers, and some other people I never met.

Joey told me to bring a magazine so I could draft appropriately. I randomly chose Athlon Sports Fantasy Football Guide. Since it was a new league, we drew cards to determine the order in which we would draft. A nudie deck was used. I got the second overall pick. Brett Favre went #1 overall. I took Barry Sanders with the second pick. Yeah, that's how old I am. Joey went 3rd and took Kordell Stewart, and Terrell Davis went 4th.

The rest of the night was spent in a drunken haze. I got laughed at when I drafted Chris Chandler in the 12th round. Even though my Chandler/Tony Martin combo led me to the playoffs. I lost to Kurt Johnson who had Seattle's defense and a rookie wide receiver named Randy Moss.

In 1999, Joey set up the league again. Same draft format, same location. I took Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison with my first two picks. Even though it was a running back heavy league, I still did well. But it was all for naught since Joey picked up Kurt Warner off the free agent wire. Joey Slomba, your 1999 Fantasy Football Champion.

In 2000, Joey decided not to renew the league. But it was too late for me to walk away, I'd been bitten by the fantasy football bug. So I started a league on ESPN's website with Devin. I was the Matthew Good Team, and despite having Kurt Warner & Issac Bruce, I finished second. As a result I got absolutely 0 dollars (this was when ESPN charged you to play fantasy football). Getting nothing burned me, but I didn't have enough people to do what Joey did and start my own league, so I took it in stride. I even played on ESPN again in 2001. This time I finished in 3rd place, but I decided that I'd had enough, it was time for the Underdogs Fantasy Football league to begin.

By now you should understand that I had no idea what I was doing. I just decided I wanted to get as many of my friends together as I could, and share with them the joy of competition that can only come from battling against the people you know best.

In the beginning, I went back to Joey's 1998 roots and had everyone put their lineups in by calling me or using AIM to let me know who they were starting.  The buy in was only $25, and final score tallies were determined by a computer program that would update on Tuesday mornings (A far cry from the real time scoring system we enjoy today). It might have been outdated, but it was free. It was the first example of my ongoing goal to maximize profits to the league's winner.

I think the best way to describe the 2002 season would be to say it was an Alpha Test. Vic won, but there were no keepers, and there was a complete overhaul once the season ended. The original 12 team league got cut down to 10, Cam & Santos were out. We went to ESPN (Even though we still had to pay for their scoring at the time). But for the most part, the 2003 season is when it all began for us.

We've undergone teams leaving (Derek Wright, Bob Leising, Tim Yaple), and rule changes (adding PPR, changing it to .5 PPR, Interception Rule). Teams being added (Davie & Don) in the expansion year of 2009. Bickering over draft picks. People not paying until after the season has ended.

Now, we stand at a point where we relish in Rock's defeats. Where I was so pissed at Devin this last week for picking up Pitta after Gronkowski got hurt that I wasn't sure I wouldn't want to punch him in the face the next time I saw him. Where Spae had to fight back a near overpowering urge to punch me in the face for the 2008 championship game (and a whole lot of other matchups we've had).

Fantasy football has brought out some of the worst traits in us. So much so that there are a lot of times I've wanted to turn it all in and give up the league altogether.

In short, there are plenty of occasions when I've lost sight as to why I started playing fantasy football in the first place.

But through it all, despite the incredible highs (my 2008 championship), and devastating lows (every year other than 2008). No matter how bad things get, we always need to remember the journey that has brought us to this point. It's one that began with my best friends, and a desire to bring us all closer together. One that I hope will continue until the end of our days. Because the league, much like the our friendships, will always be mired with good times and bad. And at the end of the day, that's what makes the entire experience worthwhile. We cover the entire spectrum of emotions over the course of four months, that most people will never understand in their entire lifetime.

Long live the Underdogs Fantasy Football League!