2014 Classic Champion Profile - Roger Gonzalez

[Tom Kessenich]

Roger Gonzalez is no stranger to the world of high stakes fantasy sports. He played in the World Championship of Fantasy Football in its debut season, has played in the NFFC for over a decade and is also one of the most successful players in the National Fantasy Basketball Championship.

So when it comes to the ins and outs of high stakes fantasy sports, Gonzalez knows the playing fields very well. But until last year, he had never known the feeling of making a final week run at a national championship.

That all changed in the NFFC Classic.

Thanks to big final games from Denver running back C.J. Anderson and the Cincinnati defense, Gonzalez pushed to the top of the overall standings to secure the 14-team Main Event title and take home the coveted $100,000 grand prize.

“I couldn’t believe it was true at first that I had won and disbelief was just one of many emotions that bubbled up that night,” Gonzalez said. “Checking the scores, standings and message boards became an obsession for several weeks, sad to say, as I waited for the bubble to burst. Being an engineer, I (truly believed I had won the title) at the moment the check was in my hands.”

With the grand prize a reality, it was time for Gonzalez to reflect upon a magical season and everything that went into powering his Las Vegas team to the top of the standings by season’s end.

“While my teams have had our share of success, I’ve never made a legitimate run in the last week to win a high stakes overall prize,” he said. “We all want to believe that luck will even out over time and that our hard work will pay off.

“Depositing that check definitely validated all the work and made up for plenty of bad luck. Then the amount of money sinks in and brings a smile to your face. It isn’t life-changing but it allows for a nice cushion for your family. I’m proud to join the family of past NFFC champions.”

Gonzalez has become a part of an exclusive group and his inclusion was well earned. He entered the Classic Championship Round in 29th place, but then scored 171.45 points in Week 14 (16th best), 163.95 points in Week 15 (3rd best) and 192.45 points in Week 16 (2nd best).

Gonzalez entered Monday Night's game in 3rd place, 21.75 points behind the leaders: David Hubbard's team. But he got 27.8 points from CJ Anderson and 16 points from Cincinnati's defense to win it all. The pick 6 of Peyton Manning moved him ahead of David Webb for the lead and he sealed the deal with one more pick in the final minute. Cincinnati's D was the only defense he carried into the Championship Round and the Bengals won the $100,000 grand prize for Roger on the final night of the season.

“To be honest I didn’t feel like this was one of my best teams,” Gonzalez said. “I thought my Primetime team was much better but it faltered at the end.

“The Classic 14-team leagues are very difficult. There isn’t much help in free agency and you are battling 13 other teams. I was just happy to get in the big dance with the most points in my league since my record was only 7-6.”

Not surprisingly, the final two days of the season were fraught with anxiety and tension.

“I was glued to my TV and computer all day Sunday, getting excited and dying with every single yard,” he said. “On Monday, I was in third place, the two teams ahead of me were finished and I needed about 21 points to pass them. But there was a team behind me that had Emmanuel Sanders, C.J. Anderson and Jeremy Hill. Now I thought I was a slight favorite to win.

“All of my friends were asking me where I was going to watch the game. It was by myself at home. I was way too nervous and excited to be in public.”

Gonzalez’s competition that night came from David Webb and when Sanders scored his second touchdown of the game that put Webb’s team at the top of the overall standings with the title seemingly within his grasp.

“I was resigned to second place,” Gonzalez said.

In order for his team to emerge victorious, Gonzalez needed something that appeared to have little chance of happening – a Peyton Manning Pick 6. With less than three minutes to go in the game, the seemingly impossible became a reality.

Manning tossed the Pick 6 Gonzalez needed and then threw another interception on Denver’s next possession for good measure. Just like that, Gonzalez’s journey to fantasy football immortality was complete.

“I was up all night answering texts, emails, calls, Facebook etc.,” he said.

As was the case with a large number of fantasy football champions last year, Gonzalez’s title was helped in large part by Odell Beckham Jr. But unlike many champions who snared Beckham off the Waiver Wire, Gonzalez was shrewd enough to target him in his draft, taking the Giants’ rookie wide receiver in the 15th round.

Beckham’s playoff run as an elite fantasy wide receiver was a huge boost to Gonzalez’s title chances. His team was also anchored by Tony Romo, who put up 37.7 points in Week 16, and Anderson, who became one of fantasy’s premier running backs down the stretch.

Romo and Anderson were both free-agent pickups, proving that even in the Classic it is possible to mine for gold on the Waiver Wire.

“My early free agent bids were modest on the hot free agents so I was often outbid,” Gonzalez said. “This left me with plenty of cash later in the season and allowed me to pick up Tre Mason, Romo and C.J. Anderson. Being at the top of the free agent money heap later in the season was a huge advantage.”

The 53-year-old engineer also took full advantage of the spoils that came with his Classic championship.

“I threw a big party and celebrated my victory but the one real splurge is a bucket list golf vacation,” he said. “I love playing golf and I am going to Scotland to play St. Andrews and six other courses with three of my friends.

“Six of the seven courses are ranked in the Top 100 in the world. I can’t wait.”

It’s a dream vacation fit for a champion, a title Gonzalez, though, knows he does not share alone.

“I couldn’t have won this without the advice and counsel of the rest of the Sideline Sage team,” he said. “Rich McClellan and Paula Lacy are instrumental in all our teams.”

[RedRyder]

Congrats Champ!! Always good to see someone I know win it all...and know that they are a class act!! You still owe me dinner...I think the restaurant choice just went up a notch!

[Sideline Sage]

Jules,

No doubt. I am looking forward to dinner and some nice wine. Pick a good restaurant.

Thanks