The.HELLMUTH.of.Fantasy.Football

Better Get Your Popcorn Ready

2010-07-27T23:51:00.002-05:00

Time to Crank it up Cowboys

2010-07-27T23:36:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite videos deserves a replay:

"Taco" from "The League" on FX

2010-07-05T23:33:00.001-05:00

Season 2 is coming in September...

Lady Luck Passed By

2010-07-01T00:58:00.002-05:00

Well I already had a setback this fantasy football season when the luck of the draw passed me by in the Skins challenge at the Progressive Fantasy Football World Championship ("PFFWC"). The game's creator, the "Mustache Sweater Man" drafted with a random June league on Monday and will award an additional $1,000 to the winner of that league's championship game in week 10 of NFL play. Including my own, there were 13 entries for Mondays draft. Only 10 could play...I wasn't one. With that, I have delayed my draft until late August. This really pains me because without a team in the books it's difficult to exhibit how phenomenal my drafting skills are.

But wait...there has been talk of another Skins challenge in July. What do you say Aaron...I mean...Mustache Sweater Man?

First (only?) Mock PFFWC Draft

2010-06-15T21:57:00.009-05:00

Yours truly just completed a trial run of the new PFFWC.com draft software. We had a full draft made up of the game's proprietor, Aaron (aka "Mustache Sweater Man"), myself, and 8 other fantasy nuts (I think all former ffoc players who are familiar with this format). I won't identify the owners of the other teams without their consent, but The H drafted from the #9 spot.

Note this was a trial run of the software, so MSM was addressing a few glitches here and there as we drafted. I do not personally condone drafting Bernard Berrian and yet he's on my team. Also my 4th and 5th picks were players I had in my "Queue" who were taken automatically, so I like the players but wouldn't have necessarily taken them both at that time (I was planning to take a 2nd QB in the 4th round and then Team 10 took 2 QBs before my 5th pick). Some other players said they had accidental draft picks as well but not many. We also had a couple of people leave early (hence the Kurt Warner auto-pick). Other than that, the software looked great and was user friendly. Aaron also said the player rankings will be updated before the real drafts kick off. Presumably, Warner will be removed or drastically lowered to prevent an auto draft of a retired QB. Then again, I suppose Favre has proved that anything is possible.

It's not a perfect mock draft but it's all you got for this unusual "2 QB" format. As you can see...get yours fast! The first real draft appears set to take place possibly June 21 (with 5 teams entered) or June 26 (with 11 already entered).

Team 1

1 Johnson, Chris RB TEN 9
2 Williams, DeAngelo RB CAR 6
3 Wayne, Reggie WR IND 7
4 Kolb, Kevin QB PHI 8
5 Johnson, Calvin WR DET 7
6 Ward, Hines WR PIT 5
7 Gonzalez, Tony TE ATL 8
8 Campbell, Jason QB OAK 10
9 Garrard, David QB JAC 9
10 Sproles, Darren RB SD 10
11 Driver, Donald WR GB 10
12 Best, Jahvid RB DET 7
13 Shockey, Jeremy TE NO 10
14 Burleson, Nate WR DET 7
15 Murphy, Louis WR OAK 10
16 Brown, Donald RB IND 7
17 49ers, San Francisco D SF 9
18 Bengals, Cinncinnati D CIN 6
19 Kaeding, Nate K SD 10
20 Morris, Maurice RB DET 7

Team 2

1 Peterson, Adrian RB MIN 4
2 Flacco, Joe QB BAL 8
3 Jackson, Steven RB STL 9
4 Jackson, Vincent WR SD 10
5 Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN 6
6 Crabtree, Michael WR SF 9
7 Forte, Matt RB CHI 8
8 Orton, Kyle QB DEN 9
9 Winslow, Kellen TE TB 4
10 Bush, Reggie RB NO 10
11 Shiancoe, Visanthe TE MIN 4
12 Cotchery, Jerricho WR NYJ 7
13 Knox, Johnny WR CHI 8
14 Henderson, Devery WR NO 10
15 Taylor, Chester RB CHI 8
16 Chargers, San Diego D SD 10
17 Freeman, Josh QB TB 4
18 White, LenDale RB SEA 5
19 Carpenter, Dan K MIA 5
20 Cooley, Chris TE WAS 9

Team 3

1 Brees, Drew QB NO 10
2 Moss, Randy WR NE 5
3 Mendenhall, Rashard RB PIT 5
4 Ryan, Matt QB ATL 8
5 Welker, Wes WR NE 5
6 Thomas, Pierre RB NO 10
7 Owens, Terrell WR BUF 6
8 Barber, Marion RB DAL 4
9 Daniels, Owen TE HOU 7
10 Garcon, Pierre WR IND 7
11 Bowe, Dwayne WR KC 4
12 McFadden, Darren RB OAK 10
13 Young, Vince QB TEN 9
14 Miller, Zach TE OAK 10
15 Packers, Green Bay D GB 10
16 Floyd, Malcom WR SD 10
17 Eagles, Philadelphia D PHI 8
18 Choice, Tashard RB DAL 4
19 Hartley, Garrett K NO 10
20 Tynes, Lawrence K NYG 8

Team 4

1 Rodgers, Aaron QB GB 10
2 Manning, Eli QB NYG 8
3 Jones, Thomas RB KC 4
4 Marshall, Brandon WR MIA 5
5 Rice, Sidney WR MIN 4
6 Smith, Steve WR CAR 6
7 Greene, Shonn RB NYJ 7
8 Tomlinson, LaDainian RB NYJ 7
9 Henne, Chad QB MIA 5
10 Finley, Jermichael TE GB 10
11 Breaston, Steve WR ARI 6
12 Portis, Clinton RB WAS 9
13 Jets, New York D NYJ 7
14 Bush, Michael RB OAK 10
15 Jones, Jacoby WR HOU 7
16 Keller, Dustin TE NYJ 7
17 Thomas, Mike WR JAC 9
18 Longwell, Ryan K MIN 4
19 Patriots, New England D NE 5
20 Faulk, Kevin RB NE 5

Team 5

1 Schaub, Matt QB HOU 7
2 Roethlisberger, Ben QB PIT 5
3 Williams, Ricky RB MIA 5
4 Jackson, DeSean WR PHI 8
5 Stewart, Jonathan RB CAR 6
6 Gates, Antonio TE SD 10
7 Holmes, Santonio WR NYJ 7
8 Mason, Derrick WR BAL 8
9 Warner, Kurt QB ARI 6
10 McGahee, Willis RB BAL 8
11 Williams, Cadillac RB TB 4
12 Maroney, Laurence RB NE 5
13 Forsett, Justin RB SEA 5
14 Collie, Austin WR IND 7
15 Crayton, Patrick WR DAL 4
16 Bennett, Earl WR CHI 8
17 Davis, Fred TE WAS 9
18 Scheffler, Tony TE DET 7
19 Bills, Buffalo D BUF 6
20 Barth, Connor K TB 4

Team 6

1 Manning, Peyton QB IND 7
2 Rivers, Philip QB SD 10
3 Grant, Ryan RB GB 10
4 Charles, Jamaal RB KC 4
5 Jennings, Greg WR GB 10
6 Smith, Steve WR NYG 8
7 Wallace, Mike WR PIT 5
8 Celek, Brent TE PHI 8
9 Cassel, Matt QB KC 4
10 Jackson, Fred RB BUF 6
11 Harrison, Jerome RB CLE 8
12 Smith, Kevin RB DET 7
13 Miller, Heath TE PIT 5
14 Manningham, Mario WR NYG 8
15 Snelling, Jason RB ATL 8
16 Washington, Nate WR TEN 9
17 Cowboys, Dallas D DAL 4
18 Saints, New Orleans D NO 10
19 Akers, David K PHI 8
20 Gaffney, Jabar WR DEN 9

Team 7

1 Favre, Brett QB MIN 4
2 Brady, Tom QB NE 5
3 Austin, Miles WR DAL 4
4 Addai, Joseph RB IND 7
5 Davis, Vernon TE SF 9
6 Sims-Walker, Mike WR JAC 9
7 Jacobs, Brandon RB NYG 8
8 McCoy, LeSean RB PHI 8
9 Meachem, Robert WR NO 10
10 Bradshaw, Ahmad RB NYG 8
11 Hasselbeck, Matt QB SEA 5
12 Maclin, Jeremy WR PHI 8
13 Steelers, Pittsburgh D PIT 5
14 Moats, Ryan RB HOU 7
15 Jones, Julius RB SEA 5
16 Bess, Davone WR MIA 5
17 Britt, Kenny WR TEN 9
18 Lewis, Marcedes TE JAC 9
19 Pettigrew, Brandon TE DET 7
20 Andrus, Shane K SF 9

Team 8

1 Rice, Ray RB BAL 8
2 Turner, Michael RB ATL 8
3 Colston, Marques WR NO 10
4 Ryan, Matt QB ATL 8
5 Boldin, Anquan WR BAL 8
6 McNabb, Donovan QB WAS 9
7 Harvin, Percy WR MIN 4
8 Jones, Felix RB DAL 4
9 Edwards, Braylon WR NYJ 7
10 Evans, Lee WR BUF 6
11 Smith, Alex QB SF 9
12 Williams, Roy E. WR DAL 4
13 Spiller, C.J. RB BUF 6
14 Boss, Kevin TE NYG 8
15 Heap, Todd TE BAL 8
16 Bell, Mike RB PHI 8
17 Buckhalter, Correll RB DEN 9
18 Watson, Benjamin TE CLE 8
19 Browns, Cleveland D CLE 8
20 Alvarado, Delbert K DAL 4

The H

1 Johnson, Andre WR HOU 7
2 Romo, Tony QB DAL 4
3 Fitzgerald, Larry WR ARI 6
4 Moreno, Knowshon RB DEN 9
5 Benson, Cedric RB CIN 6
6 Wells, Beanie RB ARI 6
7 Witten, Jason TE DAL 4
8 Stafford, Matthew QB DET 7
9 Hester, Devin WR CHI 8
10 Hightower, Tim RB ARI 6
11 Nicks, Hakeem WR NYG 8
12 Carlson, John TE SEA 5
13 Bryant, Dez WR DAL 4
14 Leinart, Matt QB ARI 6
15 Ravens, Baltimore D BAL 8
16 Vikings, Minnesota D MIN 4
17 Berrian, Bernard WR MIN 4
18 Tate, Ben RB HOU 7
19 Fargas, Justin RB OAK 10
20 Bironas, Rob K TEN 9

Team 10

1 Jones-Drew, Maurice RB JAC 9
2 Gore, Frank RB SF 9
3 White, Roddy WR ATL 8
4 Palmer, Carson QB CIN 6
5 Cutler, Jay QB CHI 8
6 Clark, Dallas TE IND 7
7 Brown, Ronnie RB MIA 5
8 Houshmandzadeh, T.J. WR SEA 5
9 Slaton, Steve RB HOU 7
10 Moss, Santana WR WAS 9
11 Olsen, Greg TE CHI 8
12 Chambers, Chris WR KC 4
13 Bryant, Antonio WR CIN 6
14 Avery, Donnie WR STL 9
15 Sanchez, Mark QB NYJ 7
16 Lynch, Marshawn RB BUF 6
17 Dolphins, Miami D MIA 5
18 Crosby, Mason K GB 10
19 Gostkowski, Stephen K NE 5
20 Colts, Indianapolis D IND 7

Mustache Sweater Man - Ambassador of Fantasy Football

2010-06-13T00:33:00.005-05:00

The FFOC fantasy game is dead but all is not lost!

Shane Schroeder may be the game's only million dollar winner for a while, having taken a million in cash in 2008. Last year's winner took $300K in cash and is promised $70K/year for the next 10 years. The chances of that aren't looking good.

Through the FFOC message board, the regulars came to know a guy named Aaron as a computer/programming guru and football stats guy. I won't say Aaron is not an unusual guy. Aaron is also known as Mustache Sweater Man...check out this "commercial" he did last year (I think he won a contest for a small budget to make a commercial on some TV station):

Mustache Sweater Man has now started his own fantasy game using the FFOC format (with head-to-head match ups till week 10, then a "cutline" week 11 thru 16. You also have the option to play a 2nd QB in the flex spot).

Aaron is running his game right and his website is the real deal, so don't shy away because it's a start up game. He's promised that the total payouts will be about 85% of the prize pool which is way higher than most internet fantasy games. If you look at the site it has a prize structure listed, but be aware that the numbers are climbing as he gets more entries. All prize money is held by an attorney who holds the money in a trust account (the attorney's info is listed).

Aaron calls his game the Progressive Fantasy Football World Championship at www.pffwc.com (as in progressive jackpot).

There is a "skins" challenge where Aaron will be joining a random league sometime in June. There will be an additional $1,000 up for grabs for the winner of that league in the week 10 league championship game.

Also, the PFFWC has commercials running on ESPN from July 15 to August 30 on Grande cable in Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. The top prize has already gone up from $2,500 to $3,500 and should easily top $25,000. In addition, each league champ wins $200. The entry price is $100...or there are discounts for buying multiple teams...including a June earlybird offer of 3 teams for $270.

Mustache Man is onto something here and he's running his contest right. He has promised transparency in the game's finances and the prize money is secure. Aaron regularly on the forums answering questions and has two programmers working for him to keep the site running smooth with live updates during the games, etc.

Come to PFFWC and battle with The H!

There's a new "88" in town

2010-04-25T11:24:00.003-05:00

The Cowboys' first round draft pick, Dez Bryant, will be wearing the number 88 jersey this season. He has a lot to live up to!

Girls Explain Football

2010-02-10T09:09:00.001-06:00

2010 Player Rankings

2010-02-09T22:50:00.003-06:00

OK so it's only about 5 months until we start drafting in the FFOC. I thought I'd throw out some player rankings.

Quarterback:

1. Drew Brees
2. Matt Schaub
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Peyton Manning
5. Tom Brady
6. Tony Romo
7. Ben Roethlisberger
8. Philip Rivers
9. Jay Cutler
10. Eli Manning

Next year's QB crop looks solid. I would take any of these guys to lead my fantasy team to a championship. Of course, anyone familiar with the FFOC game knows you really need not 1 but 2 stud QBs to go the distance.

Running Back

1. Chris Johnson
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Ray Rice
4. Maurice Jones-Drew
5. Frank Gore
6. Michael Turner
7. Rashard Mendenhall
8. Steven Jackson
9. Chris "Beanie" Wells
10. Felix Jones

Sorry LT. Sorry Westbrook. Sorry Thomas Jones. This is a young man's game. I see a big dropoff after the top 4 so plan accordingly. Beanie makes the top 10 because with Warner's departure I see Arizona turning to the running game. Some might laugh and say the Cardinals haven't had a running game this century, but Coach Whizenhunt has been laying the groundwork for Warner's retirement. We all know Lienart is no gunslinger. Anybody who knows The H knows I like Felix. He rounds out my top 10 based on upside. It's hard to say if Barber and Choice will be around next September, but Felix is definitely not going anywhere. I predict plenty of opportunity and lots of fireworks coming from Felix in 2010.

Wide Receiver

1. Andre Johnson
2. Miles Austin
3. DeSean Jackson
4. Randy Moss
5. Larry Fitzgerald
6. Brandon Marshall
7. Reggie Wayne
8. Calvin Johnson
9. Vincent Jackson
10. Roddy White

Miles Austin may seem high considering he was usually undrafted last year, but he finished ranked 3rd in FFOC rankings in '09 and didn't even start to begin the season. Fitzgerald fell with Warner's departure. Sidney Rice makes this list if Favre plays. But then again, I'm not sure who I would bump.

(To be continued...)

Oops ESPN

2010-01-21T12:15:00.001-06:00

The Technoviking

2010-01-16T20:40:00.000-06:00

CJ Is The REAL MVP

2010-01-14T02:01:00.001-06:00

For the latest about the Tennessee Titans from The H:

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I've Been Waiting For You Felix

2010-01-09T23:08:00.005-06:00

That's what I'm talkin' about Felix. Let's go Cowboys!

My Toshiba

2010-01-05T23:13:00.004-06:00

My wife works for Toshiba got me a new PC...this commercial is surprisingly accurate...

Vote Your Favorite CJ

2010-01-03T20:14:00.000-06:00

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Cry Cry Cry

2009-12-22T00:50:00.002-06:00

Team H failed to make the cut this week...with 45 points and a top 15 finish left on the bench. Here's what I think about that...

We Can't Talk About Vince

2009-12-19T03:05:00.001-06:00

New post from The H at...

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On To Week 15 - Only 97 Remain

2009-12-14T00:00:00.005-06:00

With only Monday night's game remaining, team HELLMUTHofFF1 sits in 8th place this week out of 363 teams with a score of 159.90. The cut line stands at 91 teams and 125 pts, and should go up 10-15 pts with MNF.

The (top 91) + (top 5 Q-teams) + (Wk 14's top scoring 1st & Goal bracket team) = 97 teams advance to next week. The top 15 scores next week go to Vegas to play for a share of $1,202,850!

I pulled Vince Young from my lineup at the last minute in favor of Palmer who failed to impress again. With Vince nursing a bad knee, I thought a healthy Palmer was the safer move. Plus with the Titans playing in a later game and Palmer going early, I couldn't risk passing on starting Palmer. As it turned out Vince left in the 2nd quarter with a hamstring issue, but a quarter and a half was all it took to beat Palmer's fantasy score by 7 points. Should have stayed with Vince.

I had some huge scores this week. If I could give back the TD points from Antonio Gates vs the Cowboys I would! The breakdown:

QB Drew Brees
296 PaYds,3 PaTDs NO @ATL
Final 23.64

RB Ray Rice
166 RuYds,1 RuTD,53 ReYds BAL DET
Final 28.90

RB Rashard Mendenhall
53 RuYds,17 ReYds PIT @CLE
Final 7.00

WR Andre Johnson
193 ReYds,2 ReTDs,3 RuYds HOU SEA
Final 33.60

WR Greg Jennings
56 ReYds GB @CHI
Final 7.60

WR Hakeem Nicks
110 ReYds,1 ReTD NYG PHI
Final 19.00

TE Antonio Gates
44 ReYds,1 ReTD SD @DAL
Final 10.40

OP Carson Palmer
94 PaYds,1 PaTD,10 RuYds CIN @MIN
Final 8.76

K Kris Brown
4 XPs,2 FGs HOU SEA
Final 5.00

TDSP New York Jets
3 PTs,3 Ints,3 Sacks NYJ @TB
Final 16.00

Glad I'm Not A Steelers Fan

2009-12-11T09:43:00.005-06:00

Pittsburgh's 6-13 loss last night to the 1-11 Cleveland Browns was pathetic. The Steeler's offensive line has looked weak most of the season and last night was no exception as Roethlisberger was sacked 8 times and the Steelers lost their fifth straight to fall to 6-7. I would not want to walk down a busy street in Pittsburgh wearing my Cowboys jersey this morning.

I was expecting a big game for my fantasy team from Mendenhall, who only rushed for 53 yards and had 1 catch for 17. Not good for my Vegas chances. The rest of my squad better pick up the slack!

On top of Mendenhall's disappointing game, Vince Young had a "setback" in practice yesterday aggravating a knee injury he suffered Sunday. I planned to start Vince vs St Louis this week, but may be forced to go back to Carson Palmer vs Minnesota. I could go either way on who to start between the two this week so I'll get over it.

Let's Not Forget The Barbarian

2009-12-09T23:27:00.001-06:00

The Boys are about to put it on the Chargers this week. Get that swagger back Cowboys!

For The Significant Others of Twilight Fans

2009-12-09T22:58:00.003-06:00

If you have a wife or girlfriend or mom who's obsessed with vampires you know what I'm talking about. This one's for you sweetie...

Tiger's Song

2009-12-09T22:48:00.001-06:00

It's funny how many Tiger Woods songs there are on YouTube. Here's one...

Quest for the Million - 3 Weeks Remain

2009-12-09T16:46:00.002-06:00

The ffoc Vegas bracket is down to 363 teams. In week 14, the field will be cut to 97 teams + this week's top 5 Q-teams will advance to the Vegas bracket...meaning 102 contenders for the $1,000,000 top prize will remain after this weekend.

Team HELLMUTHofFF1 had a solid week 13 with 134.66 points, which was the 97th highest week 13 score out of 803 teams. The cut-line was 116.16. Rice Rice has been this team's best RB all season, and one of the more consistent players on the roster, until last week's 6.1 pt disappointment. Fortunately Brees was money with 27 pts...Mendenhall, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates all scored over 15 pts, and the Eagles Defense put up a healthy 19 points.

This week's matchups look good. I don't want to be overly optimistic but I think there is a great chance of making the cut this week.

Brees vs Atlanta
Rice vs Detroit
Mendenhall vs Cleveland
A. Johnson vs Seattle
G. Jennings vs Chicago
H. Nicks vs Philly
A. Gates vs Dallas
V. Young vs St Louis
K. Brown vs Seattle
Jets D vs Tampa Bay

Yes I'm taking Vince Young out of the garage this week facing St Louis. Starting Vince over Mark Sanchez in week 8 ALMOST derailed this team when Sanchez went on to score 3 TDs that week. Don't fail me now Vince! The Rams can't stop anybody but hopefully this game is not a total Chris Johnson show. CJ is chasing the all-time single-season rushing record and needs about 160 yds/game the rest of the way to do it. The Titans may force-feed the ball to Johnson this week to help him reach that number. I hope Vince gets his opportunities. The alternative is to start Carson Palmer who has put up very marginal numbers the last several weeks and faces a good Minnesota defense.

I don't think the matchups could look much better on paper this week. My RBs should have a field day vs Detroit and Cleveland. AJ and Jennings both face soft pass defenses. The WR3 matchup vs Philly could be tough but I don't expect a lot from a WR3 anyway. Gates has gone over 100 yds each of the last 2 weeks and looks like Phillip Rivers' favorite target. I hate to side against the Cowboys but I need another good game from Gates. And finally, I expect the Jets D could shut out Tampa Bay.

This is just getting fun. Vegas here I come!

Quest For The Million - 4 weeks left

2009-12-02T22:23:00.004-06:00

Right now the Vegas bracket in the ffoc $1,000,000 championship stands at 803 teams. Almost 8,000 teams started the season. Only 363 will survive week 13. Crunch time! Team HELLMUTHofFF1 is still in the hunt. This week's starting roster:

Brees @ Wash
Rice @ GB
Mendenhall v Oak
A Johnson @ Jax
G Jennings v Bal
Nicks v Dal
Gates @ Cle
Palmer v Det
Reed v Oak
Saints D @ Wash

According to fellow ffoc blogger Aaron W at wwmmd.com, there are only 123 teams remaining with Drew Brees. Mendenhall has come on strong and the Steelers seem to be running the ball more lately. Rice is Mr Consistent. I like my chances to make the cut this week.

Who Said Vince Can't Throw?

2009-11-29T21:51:00.002-06:00

Vince Young outshines Matt Lienart AGAIN...

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BeWare of D-Ware

2009-11-24T22:33:00.002-06:00

Crunch time Boys...a win is a win. Don't doubt the Cowboys down the stretch this time!

2006 Rose Bowl Rematch next week?

2009-11-23T23:28:00.001-06:00

Wouldn't a Lienart vs Young Rose Bowl rematch be great next week...

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Oilers vs Oilers

2009-11-23T18:51:00.002-06:00

Check out predictions from The H for tonight's Monday night matchup:

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More from the SEAT Girls

2009-11-23T11:29:00.005-06:00

If you missed my previous SEAT Girl video post, you can find it in the archive on July 24 titled 'Slow Motion is GREAT!'. I miss summer already....

Jared Allen Talks Mullet

2009-11-19T20:40:00.002-06:00

For all you mullets out there...past and present (myself included)...

Step up and face The H

2009-11-18T23:07:00.002-06:00

If you don't play Snapdraft weekly fantasy football, you should give it a try. Snapdraft is a weekly fantasy football game. You have a salary cap to choose a starting lineup and a winner is determined Monday night. We have a Thursday night game this week so get your lineup in!

Two weeks ago I played in three $10 leagues and took first place in all three for $240. This week you can step up and face off in a league with The H:

League #119311, $10 entry, 25 teams, $200 payout

Register before it's full by clicking on the banner to the right of this blog. If you're already an ffoc player, you're already registered to play. Hope to see you in the smack-talk league message board this Sunday!

Charlie Brown's Week 9 Recap

2009-11-14T00:43:00.001-06:00

This is definitely not for kids...or most adults

Team H Advances To The Playoffs

2009-11-09T23:34:00.000-06:00

It was a hard-fought battle. Team HELLMUTHofFF1 entered the week in 3rd place at 11-5, and faced 2nd place Team COACH at 12-4. COACH led in total points by 55 points so for Team H to make the week 10 champtionship, COACH had to go 0-2 with Team H going 2-0. The final was Team H: 112.36, Team COACH: 105.26, with COACH finishing in 6th place to go 0-2.

Team HELLMUTHofFF1 is a Tier 2 and will advance to the Vegas Bracket to play for $1,000,000 regardless of the week 10 league championship matchup. The dream is ALIVE!

In week 10 Team H will face Team Oklahoma Bears 3. Team H won the previous matchup week 7 by a score of 119.64 to 94.34, but Oklahoma Bears had Chris Johnson on bye (Team H had Ray Rice on bye). Week 10 Team H has Andre Johnson, Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Kris Brown on bye. Team Oklahoma Bears 3 is full strength. It should be a great matchup with $180 + a Tier 1 entry for next year up for grabs for Team H.

Of the 5 Team H tier teams HELLMUTHofFF1 is the lone survivor (with one Q team also still in the running). Of course, with the new rules this year it's still anyone's game (see the previous blog entry). The preliminary starting lineup for week 10 looks like this:

Drew Brees vs St Louis
Ray Rice vs Cleveland
Rashard Mendenhall vs Cincinnati
Greg Jennings vs Dallas
Eddie Royal vs Washington
Johnny Knox vs San Fran
Antonio Gates vs Philadelphia
Carson Palmer vs Pittsburgh
Jeff Reed vs Cincinnati
New Orleans Defense vs St Louis

Brees, Rice, and the Saints D should have great games. The WRs are looking weak so I need some magic from somewhere. It would be nice if the Gates-of-old would make an appearance this season.

...And It May Have Cost $1,000,000

2009-11-05T21:31:00.004-06:00

OK so the great Vince Young gamble did not work out as planned. Vince had a solid outing for the Titans and led them to their first win of the season, but I picked a bad week to drop Sanchez and start Young (Sanchez passed for 2 TDs and ran in a 3rd).

It was a gamble that may have cost a championship birth for team HELLMUTHofFF1 in the ffoc. I still managed to go 1-1 by finishing top 5 in my league, but I lost the heads up matchup by only a few points when Drew Brees failed to outscore Marques Colston by 9 points in last week's matchup. This team still sits in 3rd place and will face 2nd place next week. The Young/Sanchez blunder means not only must I go 2-0 week 9, but my opponent must go 0-2. With some teams abandoned at this point it's unlikely the current 2nd place team won't finish in the top 5. I guess this team may be destined to dominate the First and Goal bracket.

BUT WAIT!

NEW FOR 2009! Las Vegas Bracket and 1st & Goal Bracket Promotions: Each week, beginning with Week 11 bracket standings and ending with Week 14 bracket standings, the top team with the highest weekly point total for the current week in the 1st & Goal Bracket will be promoted to the Las Vegas Bracket during the Contest, and the top team with the highest weekly point total for the current week in the Red Zone Bracket will be promoted to the 1st & Goal Bracket.

This means that even a team currently in LAST PLACE in its league could put up the top score week 11....and then put up the top score again in week 12...and find itself in the running for $1,000,000!! I would wager that no matter how bad a week 1-9 point average is, the way the ffoc game is structured with week 11-15 weighted heavier, pretty much any team that put up the top score week 11 and 12 would jump close to the top of the Vegas Bracket leaderboard.

Don't give up hope! It's crunch time. SET YOUR LINEUPS!

I Put My Money Where My Mouth Is

2009-10-31T01:47:00.001-05:00

In a must-win matchup this week I'm rolling with Vince Young in the flex. Check out my latest post at:

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Best of '08

2009-10-20T23:15:00.001-05:00

Cool video...

Team H - Tier Team Update

2009-10-20T23:04:00.003-05:00

Headed into week 7 the competition is heating up. Here's an overview of my 5 Tier teams:

HELLMUTHofFF1: Sitting in 3rd place at 8-4. Last week I knocked off another 6-4 team going 2-0 with 138.92 points. This week I face the first place 'Oklahoma Bears 3' sitting at 11-1. I have Ray Rice on bye and he has Chris Johnson on bye. Going 2-0 this week would be huge.

HELLMUTHofFF2: Sitting in 5th place at 6-6. 1st through 4th place are all 8-4 so I'm still right in the mix. This week Jones-Drew, Kevin Smith, Marshall, and Burleson are out due to byes. The good news is I face the last place team this week and I still have Eli, Palmer, Slaton, and Wayne leading the charge. My opponent in this matchup is also without Chris Johnson but otherwise full strength.

HELLMUTHofFF3: Sitting in 3rd place at 7-5. Last week I went 1-1 with 112.02 points. This week I face first place 'Hammerage' sitting at 10-2. I'm without Orton, Ray Rice, Kevin Smith, and the Baltimore defense. My opponent is full strength with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning leading the way. This one could be trouble.

HELLMUTHofFF4: Sitting in 5th place at 7-5. Last week I went 0-2 losing to 1st place 'NO SOUP FOR YOU 2', and this week I face 2nd place 'Oklahoma Bears 1' sitting at 9-3. My team is without Kevin Smith and Hasselbeck and my opponent is without Garrard and Jones-Drew.

HELLMUTHofFF LIVE: My disgraced Pujols team finally had its first 2-0 last week with 122.50 points, but it's too little too late and I sit at 3-9. I still say this team is damn good and I'm looking forward to wrecking the hopes and dreams of my opponents for the rest of the regular season!

NFL Song

2009-10-20T21:55:00.000-05:00

The Vince Young Conspiracy

2009-10-19T23:08:00.005-05:00

The 0-6 start...the 59-0 loss on Sunday...All part of Jeff Fisher's master plan. Read about the Vince Young Conspiracy at:

Make your own banner at MyBannerMaker.com!

Honky Tonk Titans

2009-10-18T17:11:00.004-05:00

The H is the lastest NFL expert to join the ranks of the Fanball Network.

Vince is coming. Be ready. Check out some coverage of the Tennessee Titans at:

Make your own banner at MyBannerMaker.com!

Big Bad Schaub

2009-10-12T23:00:00.001-05:00

Brohemian Rhapsody

2009-10-11T23:36:00.001-05:00

Not football, just funny. Ahh the memories...

The League: Buried

2009-10-11T23:33:00.001-05:00

It's Girls Gone Wild meets Football

2009-10-11T23:12:00.004-05:00

Thank you Fantasy Football Guys. You'll laugh at 2:07...

Shamwow

2009-10-11T23:09:00.001-05:00

Fantasy Football Rap

2009-10-11T23:02:00.000-05:00

Funnier than it looks...check it out!

The League: Mission

2009-10-11T22:50:00.000-05:00

Week 5

2009-10-11T22:30:00.004-05:00

Week 5 is almost in the books as the Colts vs Titans Sunday night game just ended. The Titans only scored 3 fieldgoals all night and are now 0-5 after starting 11-0 last year...are we about to see the second coming of Vince Young?

I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch but it's shaping up to be a great week for Team H with 4 of 5 Tier teams going 2-0. All 4 of these teams are .500 or better so I have some definite contenders after this week. My only tier team with a losing record is the one I drove 20 hours to draft in St Louis. In the Pujols league I AGAIN faced off with the top scoring team this week and will go 1-1 or 0-2.

DRAMA at the FFOC as the website was down Sunday morning before the early kickoff. I'm sure it was chaos at Fanball HQ in St. Louis and at many homes across the U.S. I was fortunate that I benched bye week players earlier in the week and was not affected much. I like to tinker with my lineups Sunday morning but for the most part I was OK.

My computer crashed last week (and was freezing up more and more often for weeks prior) so I haven't been posting much. I'm working on a new "netbook" I bought and I'm not very impressed with it. I should have the ole workhorse desktop back in a week or so and it will be business as usual.

FX: The League

2009-10-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

Junior Seau Run Over By a BULL

2009-10-06T23:19:00.003-05:00

I guess Junior decided he prefers being run over by NFL running backs so he wants to join the Patriots.

Week 4 Highlights

2009-10-06T23:10:00.000-05:00

10 Yards: Fantasy Football

2009-09-30T23:51:00.004-05:00

Movie/documentary about fantasy football. Be sure to double-click on the video and you can watch the whole movie full screen.

FX sets premiere date for 'The League'

2009-09-25T21:23:00.006-05:00

Fantasy Football has officially hit the mainstream. The TV channel "FX" is coming out with a new show about a fantasy football league. I just saw a commercial for it for the first time and below is an article I found about it. I couldn't find a youtube clip but here's a link to a short video from the show (It's under the "clips" tab):

http://www.fxnetworks.com/#

FX sets premiere date for 'The League'
Begins airing Oct. 29 after 'It's Always Sunny'
By James Hibberd

Sept 21, 2009, 06:27 PM ET
FX announced its comedy scheduling plans, setting a release date for its new ensemble series "The League."

"The League," about a fantasy football league from producers Jeff Schaffer ("Curb Your Enthusiasm" and Jackie Marcus Schaffer ("Disturbia") will premiere Oct. 29 and run Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. after new episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

The network also announced more details about the scheduling of its two other new comedies. Animated spy series "Archer" will premiere in January, while FX's Louis C.K. comedy "Louie," will debut sometime in the first quarter. FX sets premiere date for 'The League'Begins airing Oct. 29 after 'It's Always Sunny'By James Hibberd
Sept 21, 2009, 06:27 PM ET
FX announced its comedy scheduling plans, setting a release date for its new ensemble series "The League."

"The League," about a fantasy football league from producers Jeff Schaffer ("Curb Your Enthusiasm" and Jackie Marcus Schaffer ("Disturbia") will premiere Oct. 29 and run Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. after new episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

The network also announced more details about the scheduling of its two other new comedies. Animated spy series "Archer" will premiere in January, while FX's Louis C.K. comedy "Louie," will debut sometime in the first quarter.

Luck

2009-09-24T21:28:00.001-05:00

Week 2 Highlights

2009-09-22T23:26:00.000-05:00

He Said Ball

2009-09-22T23:04:00.000-05:00

Week 1 Highlights

2009-09-20T00:16:00.002-05:00

Week 2: Rise of The H

2009-09-18T18:27:00.000-05:00

Week 1 is behind us and The H sits with an underwhelming record of 14-16...But fear not! Week 2 will be a different story.

For those not familiar with ffoc scoring, each week it is possible to get 2 wins: 1 for winning your head-to-head matchup, and 1 for placing in the top half of your league. I have 15 teams so 30 possible wins each week. (10 teams are $10 Q teams, 3 Tier teams I won for finishing 1st in my league last year, 1 team was paid for with referral credits, and I bought my live draft Pujols entry.)

In an age where the best NFL players play little or none at all in the preseason, it's not surprising that those players fail to impress week 1. Last week brought the superstars down to Earth and we should see much more focused football from the fantasy greats moving forward.

I expect to see improvement from players like Cutler, Palmer, Shaub, Andre Johnson, Boldin, Jacobs, Slaton, BIRONAS...all players prevalent on my teams.

It's not all bad after week 1. Of my 5 Tier teams, 3 are 2-0. My Live draft team is 0-2 but I have faith in that team...Cutler, Jacobs, AJ, and Boldin are all elite players who will improve.

GOOD LUCK WEEK 2!

Key Injuries For Week 2

2009-09-18T12:50:00.002-05:00

CBS Rapid Reports

2009-09-10T23:24:00.003-05:00

You can find this NFL news app toward the bottom of the blog. It's a good source of current news team by team...see what's going on with your favorite team:

The Race To The Million

2009-09-10T19:42:00.012-05:00

The opening game. Steelers vs Titans. The race is on! It's great to be watching NFL football! I have very few players from either the Steelers or Titans on any of my fantasy teams, but I probably have Rob Bironas, kicker for the Titans, on more teams than any other player. I also have Santonio Holmes on a team and the Titans D on a team. Come on Bironas!

UPDATE: Come ON BIRONAS! 37 Yards?! My 5 year old could have made that! And not 5 minutes after I posted this braggin' on ya.

UPDATE: ARE YOU SERIOUS BIRONAS?! This time it was a blocked punt. Bironas: -6
There is an amusing thread on the ffoc forum with Bironas owners expressing their grievances.

FINAL: Bironas fought back from a -6 to a -1...still not good. I had Bironas in my lineup on 6 teams...and on the bench on another 3. I hope he picks it up! On the bright side I wasn't expecting a big game from Santonio Holmes against a tough Titans D but he put up 19 points with 130 yards and a TD. Despite Holmes' good game, the Titans defense was still a good play with 13 pts allowed,4 sacks, and 3 turnovers for 14 points. Steelers with the win 13-10 in overtime. It was a GREAT game to kick off the season! Big Ben looked great. My man Gage looked great too...Steve Smith might be riding the pine again this year if Gage is on my team!

This is not 'Nam, this is Fantasy Football

2009-09-07T12:39:00.001-05:00

There are rules here...

Braylon's New Energy Drink

2009-09-07T00:32:00.003-05:00

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards has made the switch from 5 Hour Energy drinks to Powerthirst...so should you!

Big Hits

2009-09-07T00:14:00.000-05:00

Those Guys Drive Favre Crazy

2009-09-06T23:54:00.006-05:00

I was pretty sick of the Favre saga but it's nice to see him poke a little fun at himself. It's funny how drafting a guy can make you change your tune about him. Go Favre!

4 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!

The Final Q

2009-09-06T23:15:00.005-05:00

...and it looks good. I think I have 2 top 10 QBs. Brandon Jacobs will lead the league in TDs/game...it's just a question of how many games he can play. I have Bradshaw to back him up. Bush is available late in drafts because he can't stay healthy but when he plays he's a monster in that offense. Last year in the FFOC he was the top RB until he was hurt. I'll gamble on the upside and hope he can play weeks 11-16 when it counts. Felix Jones is my backup plan and could be this year's Chris Johnson...the guy has MOVES and is being touted as the centerpiece of the Cowboys offense. If he misses games Tashard Choice will be solid. Stewart rounds out my bench and should be a TD machine once he's healthy. Witten is a sure top 3 TE. Two top 5 defenses. My WR3 spot is a gamble but I'm calling for a 10 TD year from Chris Henry. Some might say his preseason is over-hyped, but he had 9 TDs in '06, he's young, and Housh is gone. If Palmer stays healthy Henry could be huge. Cotchery may start the season for me until I see how Henry plays out. Chambers has some upside playing in a good offense and is a capable WR3. I've been waiting 3 years for Jacoby Jones to step up. Since I have Andre Johnson and Jones had 148 yards and a TD Friday night, I took him as a handcuff for AJ with upside. Maybe this is the year.

QB Donovan McNabb PHI
RB Brandon Jacobs NYG
RB Reggie Bush NO
WR Larry Fitzgerald ARZ
WR Andre Johnson HOU
WR Chris Henry CIN
TE Jason Witten DAL
OP Carson Palmer CIN
K Rob Bironas TEN
TDSP New York Giants NYG

Bench Felix Jones DAL
Bench Jonathan Stewart CAR
Bench Jerricho Cotchery NYJ
Bench Ahmad Bradshaw NYG
Bench New York Jets NYJ
Bench Kevin Boss NYG
Bench Mark Sanchez NYJ
Bench Chris Chambers SD
Bench Tashard Choice DAL
Bench Jacoby Jones HOU

Some Ideas for This Year's FFOC Main Event After Party

2009-09-06T00:09:00.000-05:00

Crazy

2009-09-03T23:14:00.006-05:00

Don Cheadle is great.

A shot at a million bucks for playing a game you love. FFOC.com. CRAZY! Email The H for a personal invite. SEVEN DAYS AND COUNTING!

Possible

2009-09-03T23:03:00.000-05:00

It is possible to win $1,000,000 this fantasy football season. The unique format of the Fantasy Football Open Championship makes anything possible starting week 11. Email The H for a personal invite. SEVEN DAYS AND COUNTING!

"Drafting the Perfect Team" from Funston and Evans

2009-09-02T23:01:00.008-05:00

Fantasy Football Live on Yahoo Sports comes on every Sunday morning during the NFL season starting at 11:00am CT. This is a live internet show on Yahoo that allows viewers to call in or email the Yahoo "experts" for last minute advice on who to sit or start. Funston and Evans are two of those experts and they have some good draft advice that's in line with my draft strategy this year. Keep in mind that the FFOC fantasy game allows you to start 2 QBs which is an unusual format...adjust accordingly.

Felix Jones Preseason Highlights

2009-09-01T23:05:00.003-05:00

It's 3 games into the preseason and Felix already has a highlight reel. This guy will be a first or second round fantasy pick in 2010...On sale now at bargain prices in round 7-9!

Welcome to Dallas Brandon Marshall

2009-08-31T22:35:00.000-05:00

Say it ain't so! Rumor has it the Broncos are talking to "multiple undisclosed NFL teams" about trading Brandon Marshall (100+ catches each of the last 2 years for the Broncos)...if that's the case you can bet your A$$ Jerry Jones is in that mix. Maybe there was more to that radio interview with Michael Irvin I blogged about recently? Marshall and Irvin joked about him coming to Dallas.....Marshall said "Aww Mike you don't want me coming to Dallas...I'll break all your records". They sounded like best buds laughing it up. You know Jerry and Irvin are tight....I listen to Irvin's radio show almost every day at lunch and just a few days ago he talked exensively about the fact that with Roy banged up there's not another proven X receiver on the Cowboys roster. I can GUARANTEE you Irvin is lobbying hard to get Marshall to Dallas.

Everyone is calling the Cowboys the 3rd best team in their division. That don't fly with Jerry. If you're Marshall do you want to go play for Baltimore? How about for a hard ass coach like Tom Coughlin in New York? Or do you want to be a Cowboy? Just ask Kid Rock...

There's a Fantasy For Everyone

2009-08-31T21:35:00.002-05:00

I had this dream the other night....weird!

The FFOC Live Draft at the Pujols

2009-08-30T23:45:00.015-05:00

Sorry everybody but I was pretty lazy about taking pics. It's been a long while since I drank beer at 9am. I did take a few....

The guy in the front of this picture in the St Louis Rams shirt looks happy about something he just did. Anybody know....is this the guy I heard hootin' and hollerin' because he landed Bulger in around the 10th round?

I guess when you win $1,000,000 you can snooze during next year's draft. Shane is a cool guy. I ran into him again as we were leaving the hotel Sunday morning and I hear he won some coins at the casino Saturday night too. You're livin' the dream Shane...sorry I had to post this pic of you!

I was going to post a pic of Stan standing next to the final draft board in my league, but in the interest of privacy I don't want to post anyone else's team. It was a great time. The drafting area was a little crowded I thought but that's my only complaint. I didn't have room to pull out all my charts and graphs. lol

I have to say again how cool everybody from Fanball was. Special thanks to John Alden, Customer Acquisition Manager, for sending a goodie bag over to my hotel when I forgot mine under the table at the draft. I went back to the Pujols about an hour after I left to look for it and all that stuff was gone. I said it was no big deal but John insisted on taking care of it. Thanks padna!

The H and Rotoexperts.com

2009-08-30T02:49:00.000-05:00

The Hellmuth of Fantasy Football has been selected to provide coverage of the Dallas Cowboys 2009 season as a scout for Rotoexperts.com....the legend is growing. More details to come.

Live At The Pujols 5

2009-08-30T01:44:00.002-05:00

We drafted live at the Pujols 5 Bar and Grill in St Louis, Missouri Saturday morning. This team looks promising with an outstanding group of 6 WRs.

A.Johnson
B.Jacobs
G.Jennings
A.Boldin
J.Cutler
R.Rice
Felix J.
D.Garrard
J.Stewart
B.Favre
C.Henry
A.Bryant
D.Brown
Cowboys D
D.Keller
J.Morgan
Arizona D
A.Fasano
K.Brown
S.Graham

A recent Yahoo article I read said "If you have 6 WRs ranked higher than Boldin then scrap your board and start over". He is my WR3 on this team! I took AJ first over Fitz with the idea of targeting Bolden later and it worked out. I sorta hated taking Favre...I'm not a believer...but if he surprises me this team looks great!

Team HELLMUTHofFF8Q

2009-08-25T23:04:00.001-05:00

Here's a look at my latest Q draft last night from the #4 hole. I think it looks pretty good. I was surprised to land Rivers in the 4th round. He and Rodgers could be top 5 QBs this year. I think I reached on Chris Henry but I was about to draft Coles and then Henry the following round...I decided I really wanted both player but Henry more than Coles. I got both anyway. Cincy should be a passing team this year if Palmer stays healthy, and Henry is shining in a big way this preseason. He caught 9 TD passes in '06 and seems to have his head on straight at the moment. I could see a 10-12 TD year with Housh gone to Seattle. The RB2 spot will be by committe with Bush, Felix and LenDale. I love me some Felix and LenDale looks great...15 TDs last year and in much better shape this year. It will be tough to decide who to start each week. Gates and Carlson are both top notch TEs. The Rivers/Gates combo will be lethal. Carlson probably won't start much but if Housh should go down Carlson's value should increase so I like that insurance. Meachem is one of my favorite sleeper WR candidates, and again if I should lose Bush it might give Meachem a bump. My trio of Defenses is a powerhouse. Arizona has my favorite schedule at the end of the season and the Jets and Cowboys should put up big fantasy numbers. I should have a great defense matchup every week.

HELLMUTHofFF8Q

Round 1 : RB Michael Turner
Round 2 : QB Aaron Rodgers
Round 3 : WR Steve Smith
Round 4 : QB Philip Rivers
Round 5 : WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Round 6 : TE Antonio Gates
Round 7 : RB Reggie Bush
Round 8 : RB Felix Jones
Round 9 : WR Chris Henry
Round 10: WR Laveranues Coles
Round 11: RB LenDale White
Round 12: TE John Carlson
Round 13: TDSP New York Jets
Round 14: TDSP Dallas Cowboys
Round 15: TDSP Arizona Cardinals
Round 16: WR Nate Washington
Round 17: RB Willis McGahee
Round 18: K Rob Bironas
Round 19: QB Mark Sanchez
Round 20: WR Robert Meachem

The FFOC Main Even Trophy

2009-08-25T22:24:00.003-05:00

There was much discussion earlier this summer about my promotion of getting a trophy from fantasytrophies.com for the winner of the live draft at the Pujols 5 on August 29. I still love their trophies for a smaller event like the Pujols live draft. Stan spoke up in the FFOC forum and said Titlecraft provides the trophy for the Main Even winner. I like their work too...check it out:

Fantasy Football Anthem

2009-08-25T22:08:00.001-05:00

Raise It UP Jerry!

2009-08-25T21:39:00.005-05:00

Why is Jerry being so damn stubborn? There seems to be plenty of room to raise that big TV 10 feet. I wonder if there's more to Jerry's story...Maybe raising it would mess up the veiw of the screen from the far back corner of his owner's suite? Whatever the reason, Jerry says he's not raising it. Even when they raise it for an upcoming concert they'll be putting it right back where it is. Maybe it would impede Jerry's view from his solid gold toilet?

It's NOT Too Late For The Pujols 5!

2009-08-25T21:01:00.014-05:00

Registration is still open for the Pujols 5 Live FFOC draft in St Louis, Missouri this Saturday, August 29 at 9:00 am. Right now there are only 30 teams registered. In addition to the 1.3 million bucks in prizes in the Fantasy Football Open Championship, the players in this live draft will compete in the Pujols Bracket with prizes for the top 5 including a new 50" flatpanel TV for 1st place. There should only be 10-15 teams in the Pujols bracket after week 10 so I like the odds. I already have plans for the flatscreen but 2nd through 5th place are still open to the rest of you SUCKUZZ!!

Sign up now and be there. The legendary Shane Schroeder, last year's FFOC million dollar winner, will be drafting with us. Shane had the ONLY team of last year's top 15 that beat my team's final score so my hat's off. I hope The H and Schroeder get to square off in the same league!

http://www.ffoc.com/pujols/

Registration for the live draft is the same price as drafting online with the bonus Pujols Bracket, $10 credits for the top 10 scores every week (right now that's 1/3 of the players!), a goodie bag with tshirts and coozies, plus a buffet and drinks after the draft (I'm still trying to get some answers from Stan about how they're defining "drinks"). I have no doubt that Stan and the FFOC will go first class with this event so if you can make it you should!

Players vs Fans

2009-08-23T23:27:00.001-05:00

The H at The Boss Hog Bowl

2009-08-22T16:36:00.005-05:00

Cowboys Stadium is a sight to see. The first Cowboys game ever at Cowboys Stadium and my wife, my daughter and I were there. Jerry did it right...that place is unreal. Plasma TVs everywhere and nice cool A/C blowing. Don't forget to bring lots of cash if you want to have some beers AND park your car somewhere. Parking started at $75 and got cheaper the farther away you drove. We paid $30 and walked close to 2 miles I'm guessing. Also remember where you park....we walked about 3 miles on the way back...with a 5 year old riding on my shoulders. A beer was $8 and nachos were $8.50. Very cool though and I'm glad we can say we were there.

The Boys looked great against a good Titans defense. Romo was 18 of 24 for 192 yards. Barber and Felix each scored a TD. Cowboys with the 30-10 win.

Brandon Marshall on ESPN Radio

2009-08-19T16:14:00.010-05:00

I was listening to the Michael Irvin show on ESPN radio today at lunch and I was impressed by what I heard from Brandon Marshall, receiver for the Denver Broncos. He's portrayed in the media as a trouble maker who should be happy just playing in the NFL, much less demanding a new contract. What's he done that's so bad? He got into a fight with his girlfriend and was acquitted of any wrongdoing. He hurt himself last offseason wrestling with his brother....what's so bad about that? Marshall struck me as an intelligent player who was careful with his words and for the most part respectful of the Broncos organization and of his new coach. He said he loves to play football whether it's in his backyard, in Denver, or anywhere else. The money stuff is between managment and his agent. Marshall has earned a new contract and the Broncos should give it to him. Over 100 catches each of the last two years! This is a picture of the Broncos receivers this year....Marshall is 3rd from the left. The guy looks like a man among boys and he's in his prime at 25 years old. Why WOULDN'T you want to keep this guy under contract?? Irvin said in the interview the Cowboys would love to have him....Marshall responded that Irvin wouldn't want him to come to Dallas and break all his records!

The QB situation in Denver is questionable but I can't pass up this much talent. In my latest Tier draft I landed Marshall in the end of the 6th round. Marshall is an elite talent going at bargain prices. They don't call him "Baby T.O." for nothing.

For Marshall's sake I hope he gets a ticket out of Denver. Long live Mike Shanahan! And let's bring Shanahan to Dallas next year!

Fantasy File - MJD

2009-08-17T11:48:00.000-05:00

Just another day at the beach for Maurice Jones-Drew

There Is No Excuse

2009-08-16T22:15:00.004-05:00

There is no excuse not to be at the Pujols 5 FFOC Live draft event in St Louis on August 29. And yes, the KFNS Fan Girls (KFNS 590 The Fan, St Louis sports radio) will be in attendance.

http://www.ffoc.com/pujols/

Latest Tier 2 Team - HELLMUTHofFF2

2009-08-15T21:58:00.007-05:00

Here's a look at my latest Tier 2 team drafted tonight with the #2 pick. I think this draft looks great. Good value with almost every pick based on looking at the other drafts I've done and I don't think I reached for anybody. However, my perfect draft was ruined in round 18 when somehow I accidentally drafted Matt Jones. What the hell is this guy still doing in the FFOC drafts?? He doesn't play for anybody! I've been complaining about this since my first Q draft of the year when my team was auto-picked and I ended up with Jones. I don't think it hurt my team much but I had a sleeper WR in mind for my #6 WR and couldn't draft him. This team hinges on Palmer....if he's back to the Palmer of old this team is stacked. If he's a bust then this team might be in trouble. I still like Eli OK but the Giants are a run first team with a good D. Edwards has some upside with TO so we'll see. I loved getting Slaton at the end of the 2nd. Marshall, Roy Williams, and Wells were all steals where I drafted them. I haven't been real hot on the Charger's D but they've been going early and have a nice schedule. I'm actually higher on the Jets' D and got them 3 rounds later....another great value pick.

HELLMUTHofFF2

Round 1 : RB Maurice Jones-Drew
Round 2 : RB Steve Slaton
Round 3 : WR Reggie Wayne
Round 4 : QB Carson Palmer
Round 5 : RB Kevin Smith
Round 6 : WR Brandon Marshall
Round 7 : WR Roy Williams
Round 8 : TE Chris Cooley
Round 9 : QB Eli Manning
Round 10: RB Chris Wells
Round 11: QB Trent Edwards
Round 12: TDSP San Diego Chargers
Round 13: WR Percy Harvin
Round 14: TE Dustin Keller
Round 15: TDSP New York Jets
Round 16: RB Jerious Norwood
Round 17: WR Nate Burleson
Round 18: WR Matt Jones
Round 19: K Rob Bironas
Round 20: TDSP Miami Dolphins

Latest Draft - The H-Q

2009-08-14T00:53:00.008-05:00

Here's a look at my latest squad from the #2 spot. I got good value with Orton in the 9th round (more than a full round later than I've seen him go in my 3 Tier drafts with the earliest being mid round 6), and Eli in round 11 (in 3 Tier drafts I've seen him go as early as mid round 5 and as late as last pick of the 8th. The latest I've seen him go in 6 Q drafts is 12th round). I tried to diversify in this draft taking MJD, Rivers, White, Bowe, LJ, Bryant....all players I don't have on other teams. Fantasy football is all about making football more fun to watch so I like to have players in most games each week. Bryant is recovering from a knee scope but he's on track to be back by the last preseason game or week 1 at the latest. He's the clear #1 WR for Tampa but Tampa probably won't be very good....If he performs like last year this team is hot. My weakest link is the WR3 spot, but Breaston is a capable backup #3 and outstanding if Fitz or Bolden should miss any time. Hicks is a rookie but a longshot to be Eli's Plaxico this year....if that happens look out.

The H-Q

Round 1 : RB Maurice Jones-Drew
Round 2 : QB Philip Rivers
Round 3 : WR Roddy White
Round 4 : RB Ryan Grant
Round 5 : WR Dwayne Bowe
Round 6 : RB Reggie Bush
Round 7 : RB Larry Johnson
Round 8 : WR Antonio Bryant
Round 9 : QB Kyle Orton
Round 10: TE Owen Daniels
Round 11: QB Eli Manning
Round 12: TDSP Baltimore Ravens
Round 13: WR Steve Breaston
Round 14: TDSP New York Jets
Round 15: TE Dustin Keller
Round 16: WR Mark Clayton
Round 17: RB Laurence Maroney
Round 18: K Rob Bironas
Round 19: K Ryan Longwell
Round 20: WR Hakeem Nicks

The Playmaker

2009-08-09T21:05:00.001-05:00

They don't make many like Michael Irvin. Listen to his radio show every weekday 11-2 by clicking the link at the top of my blog.

ESPN's New Anchor?

2009-08-09T20:43:00.001-05:00

Cowboys Rookie Haircuts

2009-08-09T19:01:00.001-05:00

It's Good To Be King

2009-08-09T14:57:00.002-05:00

You Know Who You Are

2009-08-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

Latest Q Team: The H

2009-08-06T23:15:00.009-05:00

I had not drafted in almost 3 weeks (aside from the FantasyNation mock) and it felt good to get behind the wheel again.

Several good teams in this draft but there also appeared to be a couple of rookies who helped for a strong draft.

I love this RB group. Slaton and Grant get all the carries for their teams, which is less and less common in the NFL. On the bench I have both halves of the Arizona running game. Arizona didn't spend a 1st round draft pick on a RB for nothing. Wisenhunt and Grimm came over from Pittsburgh where they run first...Arizona WILL run more this year and play better Defense. Warner can't throw the ball 600 times again this year. Maroney might surprise people...I think he's the most talented RB on that team. Graham was a fantastic value in the 18th round as he should get about 40% of the carries and most likely short yardage/TD work.

At WR Calvin might be the best in the league at his position playing on a team that will be playing from behind a lot and forced to pass. Roy is undervalued because of his lackluster year in '08, but word in Dallas is he's making strides in his chemistry with Romo. Roy will be a legit #1 WR. Royal should get a TON of catches playing in my WR3 spot. Consistent is the name of the game and I can see 100 catches from Royal this year. Walter was 5th in the NFL amoung WRs in redzone targets last year. Shaub trusts him and I'd be comfortable playing him as a #2, much less as my #4 WR. Chambers could have a bounceback year. He had 5 TDs in his first 5 games last year then played through injuries the rest of the season. He's my #5 WR and could be the #1 WR in a great offense. He'll probably fall behind Gates and V.Jackson but the upside is there...worth a shot in the 15th round.

At QB the Romo, Orton, Campbell trio is very solid. Orton and Campbell are my picks to surprise people at QB this year. Both will play in passing offenses and stand to have the best years of their careers. Orton because he has the best WRs in his career. Campbell because he's comming off the best year of his career and will run the same offense for 2 yrs in a row for the first time in his career. Romo speaks for himself. That Dallas passing game is DANGEROUS with Roy, Witten, Marty B, Austin, Crayton, Hurd and the wildcard Felix Jones to throw to. Some say with that RB trio Dallas will be a run-heavy team but this will be a HIGH scoring offense. Jerry Jones will never stand for a boring offense....he wants touchdown celebrations on that 60-yard-long TV at Cowboys Stadium! Jason Garrett will silence his critics this year.

Two TEs who could easily top 70 catches this year....if they can get a few more TDs in '09 both will put up elite numbers. I also tried to hedge my bets a little by taking Keven Walter and O.Daniels. I have Andre Johnson on several other teams....if he should have a serious injury it would be a blow to those teams but should give this team a boost. Just a small consideration that occured to me in the draft. That's also the reason I went with Calvin J vs Andre J in Round 2...I like Johnson to have a bigger year but wanted to diversify my teams a little.

I'm putting some faith in the Phillips 3-4 with my D. Wade Phillips takes some shots as a head coach but the guy can run a defense and this year he's running the show. Cowboys led the league in sacks last year and should be just as fierce up frong in '09. Ware is a beast. Buffalo is a borderline #1 defense to fill in on occasion and should cover nicely in week 6 vs the Jets when Dallas is has its bye.

Who cares about kickers but Kris Brown is my pick to be the best in the league this year. Gould is damn good too and should be playing in a better offense with Cutler in town.

I think I landed a good squad:

The H

QB Tony Romo DAL
RB Steve Slaton HOU
RB Ryan Grant GB
WR Calvin Johnson DET
WR Roy Williams DAL
WR Eddie Royal DEN
TE Owen Daniels HOU
OP Kyle Orton DEN
K Kris Brown HOU
TDSP Dallas Cowboys DAL

Bench Kevin Walter HOU
Bench Chris Wells ARZ
Bench Jason Campbell WAS
Bench Tim Hightower ARZ
Bench Zach Miller OAK
Bench Chris Chambers SD
Bench Laurence Maroney NE
Bench Earnest Graham TB
Bench Buffalo Bills BUF
Bench Robbie Gould CHI

Just Another Day On Lake Texoma

2009-08-06T09:56:00.006-05:00

I wish I was fishing right now. This is Mark Banister...one hell of a fishing guide on Texoma. And this is what 100 stripers look like....not to be confused with 100 strippers!

I Wish I Had A Prius....

2009-08-05T09:18:00.001-05:00

...But there's not enough room on the side.

My 15 Inch Doves

2009-08-05T01:16:00.004-05:00

These guys are great...

I Did Not Forget You Jim B

2009-08-05T00:34:00.003-05:00

I think the video says it all...

Eric H and Jon T Got New Haircuts

2009-08-04T21:05:00.008-05:00

Two of my biggest fans in the FFOC forums just sent me these videos to show off their new haircuts (yeah I thought it was kinda weird too). I appreciate my loyal followers and thanks for the email fellas. I've gone ahead and posted your videos like you asked, but really this blog is meant for football/sports related topics. In the future, please limit your emails to sports.

Watch the top video first. I appologize to my other fans for Eric's language...he's got some anger issues and he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.

These videos are not for young viewers....or you Mom.

Eric's New Cut:

Jon's New Cut:

Great Moments In Sports

2009-08-03T22:43:00.003-05:00

I say great not greatest...only saw one Dallas Cowboy for a split second :)