A crazy weekend for an NFFC addict...

renman · Post by **renman** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:03 am

I am not sure how this will be received. I am not even sure what I am going to type here. This is off the top of my head after a crazy fantasy football weekend that I thought some here might get a kick out of. I sense most here can relate...

We all are passionate about fantasy football here. Only very passionate guys enter high stakes events like this so most of you "get it" when I talk about how we get into this stuff. We all have invested a ton into this season. With money, time, pre-draft preparation and analysis, a draft and then managing your team and watching games all season. We have had major highs and lows for months now. All (if things go well) culminating in the frantic rush for the big prize in the NFFC postseason sprint.

So you can imagine how miserable I was when for the first weekend of the NFFC playoffs my wife booked a trip to Florida to visit her Grandmother where I was obligated to go and have us bring my 20 month old son. Now I am not one of these guys who has a Wife who screams at him for paying so much attention to football or whines about it in any way. She is into it somewhat too and very supportive. I have no problem kicking people out of the house Sunday to watch games if I want. I pay as much attention to football as I want. Now factor into this equation that my step Grandmother has NO CABLE TV and NO INTERNET CONNECTION. I also was obligated to play the good family man/husband and not disappear to an internet cafe or sports bar because I had to show respect to the Grandmother who was very into entertaining and hosting family.

So now I have a friend back home, who I gave my NFFC sign-in information to so he could make lineup changes for me and update me on latest news as I had some question marks with players going into this game. Some notes about my Football Sunday.

I was in the Jacksonville area and at least was able to watch the Colt-Jags game in which I had Maurice Jones-Drew and could get updates the "old-school" way when the announcer would say "lets go to New York for an NFL update!" I also had my friend calling and texting things from other games. The day started out well with Jones-Drew scoring early. L.J. Smith did the same after giving me a zero last week. And it looks like no one is really going off so things are going well. As the Jags game moves on I am starting to see this is going to be and epic rushing performance and am hopeful Jones-Drew gets me another TD. Obviously going into this game I would sign for 15-20 points but we all get greedy when things start going well. He scores again and then makes me miserable by returning a kick for a TD. I think this kick return by Jones-Drew cost him 10 fantasy points because had he been tackled he likely would have rushed the ball down the field and maybe scored again.

As my day continues everything seems to go bad after the Jones-Drew return. My big WR's Boldin and A. Johnson have below average games in what seemed to be good matchups. L.J. Smith disappears after his early TD. The rainstorm that was supposed to happen in San Fran that lead to me starting the Packers pathetic defense (thinking the weather could cause turnovers) became a sunny day.

Now the 4pm games start and the guy who has sucked the life out of anyone who does not have him is playing, Tomlinson. I predicted (not hard to) that LT would completely decide who wins the NFFC big prize given so many teams had him. If he were to play well you have to figure a few LT owning teams would have the right combo of players to post huge scores. As I watch the late games to my surprise I get the Cards/Seahawks game and got to watch Boldin do nothing. We were having dinner now and I was excusing myself to use the "bathroom" just to Walk by the tv I left on in the other room. I now am getting updates on Tomlinson and to my glee he is having a very average game even with one TD. With 3+ minutes to go he only has about 14 points! It is a miracle! With a nice lead you know Marty will get LT out of the game right? You know the Broncos will be able to move the ball some in garbage time and eat up the clock right? Of course not... The Broncos turn it over, Tomlinson gets his normal late game TD and I am miserable.

Now, to my shock my brother-in-law sets up a wireless internet connection with his laptop and now I have access to the fantasy football world! I immediately goto the NFFC site and somehow, magically, Tomlinson scored ANOTHER TD and my day gets worse. I think most non-Tomlinson owning teams for this year can relate to this feeling. It seems like we are BEGGING for our RB's to get ONE touchdown and somehow Tomlinson gets them with amazing ease including late in games when the Chargers have leads! Anyway, now I am really sick because I know with the number of LT teams in the playoffs several will have had huge games. I look and see the Billsville Trojans did just that and things look bleak.

Now to the interesting part of my weekend (for those of you who bothered to read this rant...lol). I drafted Colston. he has been my favorite player all year. He obviously has been out for weeks. I had to start S. Holmes Thursday night assuming Colston would be out as he now is my best backup due to some injuries. I now have to decide between Colston and Julius Jones on Sunday night at flex. I am looking everywhere for some update about Colstons status. Nothing is updating. Every report says "game-time decision and unlikely to play..." My alternative looks great on paper (Julius Jones) but has been horrible for weeks with Barber eating all his numbers. NBC (my former employer) is sicking me with their pre-game fluff and bs talking about stuff no one cares about as the clock is ticking down to kickoff and the NFFC site locking up. Then I have to watch that hag "Pink" sing the irritating NBC football jungle while precious time is ticking down on the Colston or Jones at flex decision." I thought I saw Colston in pads in a pre-game warmup so I put him in with my finger on the button to change it back to Jones if need be. FINALLY I get a sideline report (unfortunately not Suzy Kolber who is a goddess) telling me Colston is playing. I figure this is my best chance to make up ground with the teams who went off. I have Brees and think a big Brees-Colston day could be my only chance to make up ground...

So I am sure many of you can picture the look on my face when Jones takes his first carry for a 70something yard TD while on my bench after doing nothing for me most of the season. I was sick to my stomach. Now Colston had some catches and the Jones/Colston mistake cost me 10 points. We all know Brees went on to have an epic day and pulled me back into the mix. Ironically I had nearly benched Brees for Eli Manning earlier in the day thinking Brees would have no WR's and the Saints would run the ball more. I was also supposed to rain. Luckily I talked myself back into Brees.

I fly home and scramble out of the airport hoping to get home in time to see Steven Jackson play. I am ready to sign for 15 points given he faces the Bear defense and has a bad offensive line. We all know he had a huge game (even though I had to watch the bears defense get more points again than my stud WR's via kick returns) and now I am thrilled to be in striking distance for the big prize.

Sorry for the rant ... thought some here might get a kick out of the weekend because I sense most here can relate...

joetreff · Post by **joetreff** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:58 am

You should never bench Julius Jones in the fantasy playoffs, first ask team Bayley, then watch the new NFL.Com commercial.

BillyWaz · Post by **BillyWaz** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:27 am

My wife and I are headed to Las Vegas this weekend, and honestly, I may just "set it (my lineups) and forget it" (Ron Popei), as me watching the games isn't going to get me anymore points.

Now I may still have my phone with me for updates!

Best of luck everyone!

BillyWaz

sportsbettingman · Post by **sportsbettingman** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:24 am

I liked the "old school" part of no cable, one game, and those Christmas present NFL updates from NY!

"The good old days"...NOT! (Sunday Ticket w/superfan is heaven.)

~Lance

TradeStar28 · Post by **TradeStar28** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:35 am

On Sunday, I had the greatest experience during the games. With a Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma, Directv HR-20 High Def Receiver, NFL Sunday Ticket with Superfan Upgrade, Denon 7.1 Ultra THX Surround sound with Niles Speakers all turned off and in sleep mode...

I spent the day at the local park here with my baby girl who turned 3 years old on Sunday 12/10....and I taught her how to ride her new tricycle...

As the sun was setting over our heads...she finally got the hang of it, and proceeded to peddle her shiny new tricycle about 10 yards while saying "Daddy Daddy...I did it!! I dit it", which brought as much joy to me than a Frank Gore run for a first down....

Eddiejag · Post by **Eddiejag** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:51 am

Renman , nice story, i really did enjoy it.We all have them talk's to are selfs , about who i should play.I have BREES in a few leagues , and about a month ago i came up with a new rule, PLAY BREES nomatter what the game is.ABOUT J Jones, he has to be the most frustrating player in fantasy to own , because of the Barber factor.Your a better man than me, i would have had grandma watching the games with me, telling her this is are bonding time.
good luck ,i scored a 108 with Tomilson.IM DONE

Dave Clum · Post by **Dave Clum** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:13 am

I start this by saying that I know I have no control over what happens in these games.But.... I have noticed a very disturbing pattern.When I am watching the games my players do nothing.When I go off and do other things my players are doing well.I share this tidbit with my wife sunday she looks at me like yeah right.We start watching the giants Eli is doing nothing.We go out to lunch come back three Tds.Turn on the 49ers just after the game started Gore has 70 yards in the first quarter rest of the half nothing.Sunday night Devery Henderson watch till halftime nothing go to bed wake up long TD.Monday night T Jones and Tory Holt no lie nothing happening go downstairs to make popcorn come back Holt TD.Nothing much else through halftime go to bed wake up Holt And Jones TD.This would not be so bad.But,I enjoy watching the games.

Diesel · Post by **Diesel** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:32 pm

Originally posted by DiamondKing:
I start this by saying that I know I have no control over what happens in these games.But.... I have noticed a very disturbing pattern.When I am watching the games my players do nothing.When I go off and do other things my players are doing well.I share this tidbit with my wife sunday she looks at me like yeah right.We start watching the giants Eli is doing nothing.We go out to lunch come back three Tds.Turn on the 49ers just after the game started Gore has 70 yards in the first quarter rest of the half nothing.Sunday night Devery Henderson watch till halftime nothing go to bed wake up long TD.Monday night T Jones and Tory Holt no lie nothing happening go downstairs to make popcorn come back Holt TD.Nothing much else through halftime go to bed wake up Holt And Jones TD.This would not be so bad.But,I enjoy watching the games. I totally understand this...

I know this is NUTS, but there have been SO MANY TIMES that I turn the TV on and my kicker is about to kick a field goal. I watch it with a bad feeling in my gut, and he misses. Every freaking time. I mean EVERY, FREAKING, TIME...lol. It would be hilarious if my wife ever video taped me when I was watching football and my kicker comes on the field, and I can't find the remote, in a panic, to shut the TV off in time to NOT WATCH the field goal...

BillyWaz · Post by **BillyWaz** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:04 pm

This is exactly why while I am in Vegas this weekend that I may not watch ANY games.

It isn't like there isn't NOTHING else to do!

However, that Colts-Bengals game could be a GREAT one!!!

I'm betting my house on the OVER!!!!!!!

On a similar note, where is Lance when you need him. I got a game I LOVE this weekend, but wanted to hear the "experts" advice.

Route Collectors · Post by **Route Collectors** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:46 pm

Renman....you should win "man of the year" for making that trip. Thank goodness that Brees saved your day huh!