Tampa Bay Fantasy League

In the first part of our semi-finals coverage, the Hurricanes hold a two point edge over Runs N Throses, Runs N Throses has no more opportunity to score points while Hurricanes still have Westbrook to pile on with – only something disastrous, like Brian being caught behind the line on his first 2 carries for -10 yards and then fumbling and never returning to the game can change this outcome and prevent Hurricanes from advancing to Fantasy Bowl XI….

In the UO/Cows matchup, the Cows hold only a nine point edge in South Park Stadium. The game will be won or lost for Eric’s team on the leg of David Akers. Here are the statistical scenarios to watch:

David is averaging 8.5 points a game….but he has only hit double digits 4 times…and the Browns have given up an average of 6.4 per game to the opposing kicker….they have only given up 9 or more to the kicker in 2 games this year – to the Ravens and Broncos – and both were at home…

The over/under on the game tonight is 39 with Philly favored by 14…this is a mathematical outcome of 27-12 in favor of Philly….that score would typically mean 3 extra points and 2 field goals for the kicker = 9 points….

Nine points would force us into a tie breaker situation….the first tie break is total TD’s scored by the starters – currently the Cows hold that edge 5-4 due to the BRILLIANT decision by the Bills coaching staff to try and throw with the lead in the game from inside their own 20 while Lynch was averaging 6.0 yards a carry on the day resulting in a sack and fumble recovery TD for the Cows defense…..

However since we never leave any stone unturned here…..If Akers were to THROW a TD, hit two extra points, and then a field goal – he could still hit nine points and force the tie break process….both teams would be tied with 5 TDs apiece for the starters, and the next tie breaker would be total score of the bench players on the roster – Grandmasters would then take the victory due to a huge game by Dallas Clark otherwise wasted on the UO bench….

Temperature is currently dropping in Philly with an estimated game time temperature in the low 50′s, 70% chance of showers, and wind gusts nearing 26mph….

Congrats to everyone on the conclusion of another successful regular season in the TBFL! Most of the Playoff teams had been determined, but we did again come down to the last week to know the winners of two divisions and the final seedings:

Hurricanes getting hot late and sweeping his division foes ties him for best record in the league and gives him the Buccaneer Division title in his rookie campaign. By way of a 7 pt victory over the Cows in Week 4 – they claim the #1 seed and a Bye for the Wildcard Weekend.
South Park Cows have literally limped through the last three weeks to claim their second Bandit Division crown, the #2 seed, and a badly needed Bye for the Wildcard Weekend.
After a record setting trouncing in Week 12, UO Grandmasters managed to pull it back together this week and secure their third Storm Division title and hang on to the #3 Seed.
As the only at large team to make 9 wins, perrenial playoff participant Runs N Throses claims the #4 Seed and will host a home game.
Fudgie Whales was able to beat out the rival Marauders this week to hang in the Playoff hunt. A 4 point victory over the Thrashers in Week 4 makes them the #5 Seed.
And the most remarkable story in the TBFL, after being upset by the spoiler Playground Legends team and riding outside the playoff bubble, Coach Kevin Beveridge was able to completley refocus his Bay Area Thrasher squad and post back to back record setting scoring weeks to stay alive in the hunt. Ultimately though they still needed help and it was this team’s smack talk rival – Hurricanes -beating XFactor – who held tie breakers over everyone – that allowed them to make the field.

So round one is set:
UO Grandmasters will host division foe Bay Area Thrashers at home. The 4 point home field advantage may not be a factor here though as UO beat them by 55 in Week 6, but suffered a 97 point defeat in Week 12.
Runs N Throses will host a home game against Fudgie Whales. The Week 8 meeting between these two was a 24 point victory for the Throsers.

As a matter of clarification, since the playoff chart does not show it very well, we do re-seed each round. The lowest seed to get through the Wildcard Weekend will go to Hurricanes Stadium, while the other team will come to South Park to face the Cows.

First, the trade deadline has passed, some teams may start dropping players drafted in the first three rounds of the draft to replace them with future keepers….remember as this happens that those players are considered locked till next year’s draft….If you waste your waiver moves on them, they will be removed from your roster and you won’t get your pick priority back.

Congrats to Fudgie Whales who claim their first ever TBFL Team-of-the-Week award passing up yours truly who got no production from old man Bruce on Monday Night….

The Playoff Picture

With three weeks to play all against your own division rivals….Marauders joins the list of those officially eliminated from winning their division….With currently at least six wins required to make the playoff field, Playground Legends and Money Inc are officially out….Marauders and Warriors are next on the cusp requiring themselves to win out while six win teams lose out to have a shot….AND would have to win out and have UO lose to Thrashers to stay in the Wildcard race….XFactor cannot afford a single loss if they want to try and win the Buccaneer Division, but they are still deep in the Wildcard hunt….

If the Playoffs started today:
Runs N Throses would still retain the #1 seed and a Week One Bye.
South Park Cows would still hold the #2 seed and Bye over UO by way of head-to-head record.
UO Grandmasters would host a Wildcard Round game against Bay Area Thrashers who are now the #6 seed due to a four point loss to Fudgie Whales in Week 4.
Hurricanes would host the other Wildcard Round game against the Fudgie Whales who refuse to go away and are now the #5 seed.

BREAKING NEWS

The TBFL news desk has confirmed that in the wake of the destruction of Hurricane Ike, twelve TBFL players have received permission to fly into Galveston to provide assistance to storm survivors.

“Our players have strong ties to their hometown communities and some of them just felt it would not be right to be playing football when they could be helping families in their worst hour of need” said Commissioner and South Park Cows owner Shannon Harris. “Andre [Johnson] called me on the way to the airport concerned about his family there. I told him not to worry and that the AND owner’s jet would pick him up. It may be the first TNA Night of the year, but there was no way Mike [Miller - AND owner] was going to deny his guys.”

Armed N Dangerous players Willis McGahee, Ahman Green, and Steve Slaton and Runs N Throses WR Derrick Mason are all among the players making their way down to assist today. Not be outdone by AND, Bay Area Thrashers owner Kevin Beveridge mandated that his entire starting defensive squad go as well.

“We are only playing the Warriors, so we probably won’t even need those guys” he said. “The rest of our squad can play both ways and we will still kick their asses up and down the field.”

Other TBFL players who will miss games on Sunday include Todd Heap, Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Kevin Walter, Matt Schaub, and Kris Brown.

The 2008 TBFL Draft is in the books and it’s time to get down to some serious competition. Remember that the season starts on Thursday night, so enter your starting lineups for all Giants and Redskins before that game kicks off. The rest of the lineups are due at the normal time before the kickoff of first games on Sunday.

I still need fees turned in from a select few of you – you know who you are…
Get them sent to my PayPal at shannon.harris@gmail.com

Commish