2009 Regular Season Records & Interesting Facts

+ As of this moment, we at least know the first six draft spots (although Ben owns about half of the picks in the first round) in each round for next year's draft. They are, as follows.....

1. Beatubad
2. First or Last
3. Texas Thundermonkeys
4. Wrong Answer
5. Vince Young
6. I'm a Texan

+ In his second season as a manager in the LOTC, Gavin Espinoza improved his First or Last franchise's sinle-season win total from two in 2008, to three in 2009. I'm not sure there should be such a thing as an 'expansion team slump' in fantasy football, but it seems to be what's happened in this case. Here's to you Gavin. I hope you can at least double your five all-time wins next season.

+ David Onyon's The Undisputed franchise had the biggest improvement from one year to the next, improving his win-total by six games in 2009. The second-greatest improvement this season was Jorge Parrales's Djibouti Crust, which had a four-win increase. Conversely, both Texas Thundermonkeys and Beatubad experienced six-game declines in 2009, and defending champion Wrong Answer declined by five games.

+ Stephen Dinger is probably happy to know that an LOTC all-time record that he owned has no been broken by another manager. Ben Weiss set a new mark for the longest losing streak in a single-season by starting this season 0-10.

+ This is the first time in seven seasons that no manager turned out a double-digit final score. The lowest scoring output of the season was Dinger's 129-point score in his opening-week loss to Aaron Diehl.

+ With Aaron Diehl's Vince Young missing out on the playoffs this season, the league-record for most consecutive seasons in the playoffs stands at three, an achievement held by Vince Young ('06-'08), Texas Thundermonkeys ('03-'05), Djibouti Crust ('03-'05), Tenacious D ('07-09), Deion Found Jesus ('05-'07), and The Undisputed ('04-'06). If Tenacious D make the playoffs in 2010, they will hold the new record of four consecutive seasons. Tenacious D, Djibouti Crust and Texas Thundermonkeys hold the record for the most overall playoff seasons, with five.

+ Wrong Answer is the fourth of six champions to miss the playoffs the year after their championship season. The only two league champions to make the playoffs in their title-defense season are The Undisputed and Vince Young.

+ Speaking of league champions, the LOTC has seen six first-time league champions since its inception in 2003. This year's top-two seeded teams, The Undisputed and The Big Breesy have both previously won a championship. In the four seasons that we have had a bye game in the first round of the playoffs, a bye team has won the championship twice. So history tells us we have a 50% chance of seeing our first repeat champion in league history.

2009 Regular Season Wrap-Up

Well, it was yet another successful regular season of fantasy football in the LOTC, and I'm very grateful to all twelve managers for being active and competitive all season long. In the coming weeks, there will be several updates and news regarding what you can expect in the offseason and next season, including some changes (mostly minor) that will be incorporated into the settings in the future. In the meanwhile, I thought I would recap some of the highlights from the regular season and also take a moment to preview this week's matchups. So without further ado.......

It was highly unlikely. In fact, to my memory, it was the least-likely win-and-in scenario I had ever seen. Jorge Parrales's (yes, me) Djibouti Crust franchise was holding on to a one-game lead over I'm a Texan and Vince Young as we headed into the final week of regular season games. But I was playing The Big Breesy, who would end up earning the #2 seed and first-round bye. The loss was imminent. If Djibouti Crust lost, all I'm a Texan needed was a win, because they had scored 100+ points more throughout the season, giving them the tiebreaker over the Crust. And, if Djibouti Crust and I'm a Texan both happened to lose, Vince Young needed a win AND 40 more points than Djibouti Crust to earn the final playoff spot.

Headed into Monday night's game between Green Bay and Baltimore, Djibouti Crust had clearly lost their game this week, I'm a Texan needed only 32.5 points between Ryan Grant and Derrick Mason (averaging 46 combined ppg to that point) to win their game, and Vince Young had successfully outscored Djibouti Crust by 43 points and held a 52-point lead against Texas Thundermonkeys, who had Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings (averaging 69.5 combined ppg to that point) left to play. The Vince Young franchise was eliminated by the first minute in the third quarter, as Aaron Rodgers turned in a spectacular performance. But the real shocker came in the mere 18 points that Ryan Grant and Derrick Mason combined to score for I'm a Texan, giving them the loss and giving Djibouti Crust the final playoff berth.

Djibouti Crust might have scrapped their way into the playoffs, but the magic seems highly unlikely to continue as they take on East division rival and winner, Deion Found Jesus, whom they have already lost to twice this season. Until this 2009 season, Djibouti Crust had enjoyed tremendous success against Deion Found Jesus, having only lost to Robby Grunwald's franchise once in five meetings. But Robby now has an opportunity to even things out at 4-4-0 if he can win one more time against Jorge. This marks the first meeting between thes two teams in the playoffs.

The #4 vs #5 matchup features North division winner Tenacious D and West division runner-up Hybrids, who just played each other last week in the final regular season game. If the results from that game (Hybrids won by 104.5 points) are an indication of what we should expect in this one, Hybrids should easily coast their way into the second-round. This is actually the second meeting between these two teams in the playoffs. The first was last season, in the #4 vs #5 first-round matchup. Hybrids also won that game, but lost in the second round to eventual champion Wrong Answer. My guess is that Ryan Hennesy is looking to make a change to his recent history against Tim/Michelle/David Ferguson.

Week 13 Matchups & All-Time Records

In an unlikely turn of events, Stephen Dinger's I'm a Texan franchise lost their week 12 game to the Texas Thundermonkeys which, coupled with a Djibouti Crust victory over Vince Young, put Djibouti Crust back into the driver's seat for the sixth and final spot for this year's playoffs. In any case, pretty much all of the playoff-relevant teams are playing for something.

The Undisputed have essentially clinched the top overall spot since they have a full-game lead over Ryan Hennesy's Tenacious D AND have outscored them by 250 points this season. Even if The Undisputed managed to lose to Beatubad (1-11), there is no chance Tenacious D can overcome that kind of point differential in a single game.

The number two seed and second bye game is a whole different scenario. If Tenacious D can defeat a very tough opponent in The Hybrids, that spot goes to Tenacious D. But a loss to Hybrids and a win by either The Big Breesy or Deion Found Jesus will cause Tenacious D to play in the wild-card round.

The Hybrids join division rival The Undisputed as the only other team whose playoff spot is pretty much certain. Regardless of how the other divisions play out, Hybrids will finish second in their own division, but have the better record or tiebreaker over whoever gets the sixth playoff spot, so they will be facing off against the lowest ranked division winner, likely to be either Tenacious D or Deion Found Jesus.

The final spot will belong to Djibouti Crust (7-5, 2482 points) , I'm a Texan (6-6, 2595 points) or Vince Young (6-6, 2444 points). If Djibouti Crust can defeat The Big Breesy, they will have earned the last spot. If Djibouti loses and I'm a Texan beats Deion Found Jesus, I'm a Texan will get the last spot. And lastly, if Djibouti Crust and I'm a Texan lose and Vince Young wins AND outscores Djibouti Crust by 40+ points, Vince Young will get the final spot.

Week 13 Matchups

Djibouti Crust (7-5-0) vs The Big Breesy (8-4-0)
Joe leads all-time 2-1-0

Hybrids (8-4-0) vs Tenacious D (9-3-0)
All-time 4-4-0 (Ryan leads regular season 4-3-0)

Deion Found Jesus (8-4-0) vs I'm a Texan (6-6-0)
All-time 2-2-0

Wrong Answer (4-8-0) vs First or Last (3-9-0)
Paul leads all-time 1-0-0

Vince Young (6-6-0) vs Texas Thundermonkeys (2-10-0)
JMB leads all-time 3-1-0

Beatubad (1-11-0) vs The Undisputed (10-2-0)
Ben leads all-time 3-2-0

Week 12 Matchups & All-Time Records

Well if anybody has reason to hate the yardage-bonus structure that I added to the settings three years ago, that person is myself. As Matt Schaub led the Texans on what turned out to be a futile final drive against Tennessee on Monday Night Football, his last completion was a four-yard dump to Kevin Walter. That short pass was enough to push Schaub over the 300-yard mark for the game, which added three bonus points to I'm a Texan's final score, giving Dinger the two-point victory over myself and Djibouti Crust. The loss for me essentially ends all hope of a spot in the playoffs, considering my final two matchups are against Vince Young and The Big Breesy. For Dinger, the second-consecutive win marks what seemed an unlikely turnaround for I'm a Texan, as he now holds the rights to the sixth and final playoff spot with only two more games to play. With Dinger also holding the division-record tiebreaker and playing the lowly Texas Thundermonkeys this week, it all-but-guarantees that Aaron's Vince Young franchise will need to win out just to have a chance to get in.

Week 12 Matchups

Djibouti Crust (6-5-0) vs Vince Young (6-5-0)
All-time 2-2-0 (Jorge leads regular season 2-1-0)

Hybrids (7-4-0) vs Beatubad (1-10-0)
All-time 5-5-1 (Tim leads regular season 5-4-1)

The Big Breesy (7-4-0) vs Deion Found Jesus (8-3-0)
Robby leads all-time 3-2-0

I'm a Texan (6-5-0) vs Texas Thundermonkeys (1-10-0)
All-time 3-3-0

Wrong Answer (4-7-0) vs The Undisputed (9-2-0)
David leads all-time 4-3-0 (Regular season tied 3-3-0)

Tenacious D (9-2-0) vs First or Last (1-10-0)
Ryan leads all-time 1-0-0

Week 11 Matchups & All-Time Records

The extremely improbable took place last week, as Dinger's I'm a Texan managed to upset Joe's The Big Breesy, despite being a 70-point underdog going in to the match. Most of us were laughing at Dinger as he traded away his 4th, 5th and 6th round picks to Gavin simply to acquire Derrick Mason for this week's game against Joe. The difference was 7.5 points, which just happened to be enough for Dinger to get the 6-point victory. Nobody's laughing now. Kudos to Dinger, who stays alive in the playoff race for at least another week.

Week 11 Match-Ups

Djibouti Crust (6-4-0) vs I'm a Texan (5-5-0)
Dinger leads all-time 6-4-0

Hybrids (6-4-0) vs Wrong Answer (4-6-0)
Paul leads all-time 4-2-0

The Big Breesy (6-4-0) vs Texas Thundermonkeys (1-9-0)
JMB leads all-time 3-1-0

Deion Found Jesus (7-3-0) vs Vince Young (6-4-0)
Robby leads all-time 3-2-0

Beatubad (0-10-0) vs First or Last (2-8-0)
Gavin leads all-time 1-0-0

The Undisputed (8-2-0) vs Tenacious D (9-1-0)
David leads all-time 5-4-0 

Week 10 Matchups & All-Time Records

Well, Tenacious D defied all odds and did the impossible. Despite both star running backs (Steven Jackson and Thomas Jones) being on a bye, he managed to get by with Derrick Ward as his best starting running back. Nine weeks into the season, Ryan has a division title and the first playoff spot. That leaves five spots for the rest of us to fight for. Mathematically, Beatubad and Texas Thundermonkeys are the only two teams out of the running, but First or Last and Wrong Answer will both be out next week, win or lose. That means there are seven of us vying for the last five spots. If Big Breesy can beat I'm a Texan, it almost ensures that Dinger will be the next one of out of the playoff race, so that's the game I'm watching for.

Week 10 Match-ups

Djibouti Crust (6-3-0) vs Tenacious D* (8-1-0)
Ryan leads all-time 5-4-0

Hybrids (6-3-0) vs The Undisputed (7-2-0)
Tim leads all-time 3-2-0

The Big Breesy (6-3-0) vs I'm a Texan (4-5-0)
Dinger leads all-time 3-1-0

Deoin Found Jesus (6-3-0) vs Texas Thundermonkeys (1-8-0)
JMB leads all-time 5-3-0 (All-time regular season tied, 3-3-0)

Wrong Answer (3-6-0) vs Beatubad (0-9-0)
Paul leads all-time 6-2-0

Vince Young (5-4-0) vs First or Last (2-7-0)
Aaron leads all-time 1-0-0

Week 9 Matchups & All-time Records

A convincing win over Deion Found Jesus, coupled with a last minute loss for Wrong Answer in week eight has given Ryan Hennesy's Tenacious D a four-game division lead with six games left in the season. But it gets even juicier than that. Tenacious D and Wrong Answer are facing off against each other in week 9, meaning that if Hennesy can beat out Paul Ferguson this week, he will have officially clinched a playoff berth......already. Even if Tenacious D lost their last five games and Wrong Answer won theirs, Tenacious D would have won the divisional record, giving him the tiebreaker. So this is clearly the game of the week as we kick off the last six weeks of the regular season.

Week 9 Match-ups


Djibouti Crust (5-3-0) vs Texas Thundermonkeys (1-7-0)
Jorge leads all-time 5-4-0 (Regular season tied @ 4-4-0)

Hybrids (5-3-0) vs First or Last (2-6-0)
All-time 1-1-0

The Big Breesy (6-2-0) vs Vince Young (4-4-0)
Aaron leads all-time 3-2-0

Deion Found Jesus (5-3-0) vs Beatubad (0-8-0)
Robby leads all-time 4-3-0

I'm a Texan (4-4-0) vs The Undisputed (6-2-0)
All-time 3-3-0 (David leads regular season 3-1-0)

Wrong Answer (3-5-0) vs Tenacious D (7-1-0)
Ryan leads all-time 7-0-0
 

Week Eight Match-ups & All-Time Records

We just passed the halfway mark for the 2009 season. Even seven seasons into an established league, we are seeing new things, such as two teams (Beatubad and Texas Thundermonkeys) that have yet to register a win after seven games. Before this season no team had ever started worse than 0-6 (The Wrath of Korea, 2004, John Jemison - NLIL and I Really Have a Bush, 2007, Joe Harper), but we're always open to new things. Unfortunately for one of these managers, the streak will be extended at least one more week, as the two winless managers face off in week 8.

Week 8 Match-ups

Djibouti Crust (4-3-0) vs Wrong Answer (3-4-0)
All-time 3-3-0 (Jorge leads the regular season record 3-2-0)

Hybrids (4-3-0) vs I'm a Texan (4-3-0)
Tim leads all-time 5-3-0

The Big Breesy (5-2-0) vs First or Last (2-5-0)
Joe leads all-time 2-0-0

Deion Found Jesus (5-2-0) vs Tenacious D (6-1-0)
All-time 3-3-0

Vince Young (3-4-0) vs The Undisputed (6-1-0)
Aaron leads all-time 2-1-0

Beatubad (0-7-0) vs Texas Thundermonkeys (0-7-0)
JMB leads all-time 5-3-1

2009 Week 3 Outlook

Mind you, it has happened before. Teams have lost their first two games of the season and still had success. In fact, in the previous six seasons, two of the eventual champions started out at least 0-2 (Carmen Sutera, 2003 & Drew Brees, 2006). But the fact that it has happened before doesn't make the feat any easier to accomplish.

36 teams have made the playoffs in the league's history. Four of them started out 0-2. Two of those actually lost a third game, and for Joe Harper, it was the last time he lost that season. But let's face it; what happened to Joe in 2006 was a freakish coincidence. His team was clearly dominant, but in those first three games, he just happened to play the ONE team that scored the most points in their given week. No one really believed his team wasn't good, just unlucky. For the four teams yet to win a game through the first two weeks, circumstances have not been so similar.

Still, the Wrong Answer, Beatubad, Texas Thundermonkeys and First or Last franchises can take that little slice of history and use it to obtain whatever kind of hope comes with it. But there's virtually no hope if they can't take a victory in week 3, especially for a league title. TT and FOL will be facing off this week, so we're already assured of seeing at least one winless team by the time Monday Night Football is over.

Week 3 Match-Ups

Djibouti Crust (1-1-0) vs Hybrids (2-0-0)
All-time Regular Season: 3-3-0

• This game could very well be decided by some real-life injury decisions that likely wont be made until the last minute. Felix Jones (Djibouti Crust) could see an expanded role this week if Marion Barber (Texas Thundermonkeys) is held out. Additionally, Bryan Westbrook (Hybrids) is expected to be listed as 'Questionable' on the Eagles' injury report and could be losing quite a bit of playing time in this week's game against the Chiefs.

I Have a Bush (2-0-0) vs Beatubad (0-2-0)
All-time Regular Season: 2-2-0

• This game can comfortably be projected to get this weeks 'Toyota Biggest Fantasy Blowout' award, in favor of I Have a Bush, who also won it last week with a 78.5 point victory over Tenacious D. I Have a Bush has the luxury of being led by Drew Brees and Marques Colston, who have combined to score 191.5 points in the first two weeks alone. Meanwhile, Beatubad looks set have one of the worst seasons in league history, with Laurence Maroney being the best running back on their roster.

Deion Found Jesus (1-1-0) vs The Undisputed (2-0-0)
All-time Regular Season: 4-2-0, DFJ

• The Undisputed were lucky enough to get a record-breaking performance out of second-year running back, Chris Johnson, who managed to shatter RB fantasy records with 83 points in a single week. They are considerably lucky to be undefeated to this point, but still a quality team, reliant on Philip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Chris Johnson to do most of the heavy lifting. Deion Found Jesus is hoping Tom Brady's dismal week two effort will not be repeated this week when the Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons. They are hurting at running back (Darren Sproles and Michael Bush are starting this week), but you can never count a team out when they have Brady at QB.

I'm a Texan (1-1-0) vs Wrong Answer (0-2-0)
All-time Regular Season: 2-2-0

• I'm a Texan finally saw their mostly-Houston Texan lineup strategy pay off with huge dividends last week as Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels all turned in monster fantasy numbers in week two. The real questions for owner Stephen Dinger is whether his team is going to play like they did in week one or week two. The answer to that question will likely determine the outcome of this game against defending champion Wrong Answer, who are the most probable winless team to end up in the playoffs. Wrong Answer has to face one more week without the contributions of suspended RB Marshawn Lynch, but they won't be looking past I'm a Texan this week. This match-up is particularly intriguing with the frequent back-and-forth banter that these two managers have taken part in against each other in the recent past.

Vince Young (2-0-0) vs Tenacious D (1-1-0)
All-time Regular Season: 3-1-0, VY

• This game is especially intriguing to me, because Tenacious D are clearly trying to find some kind of identity with the players on their roster. Jay Cutler was easily one of the top five fantasy quarterbacks in the offseason until he was traded away to Chicago. Cutler is not going to repeat his superb 2008 season, but if he can increase his production just enough to give consistent quality numbers, Tenacious D might still be a title contender. But his opponent this week, Vince Young, has an absolutely lethal running back tandem (Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore) that makes them nearly impossible to beat every week. The Yahoo! projections have these two teams evenly matched, but Vince Young's questionable receiving corp is really the only factor that could give Tenacious D the edge.

Texas Thundermonkeys (0-2-0) vs First or Last (0-2-0)
All-time Regular Season: 1-0-0, TT

• The Texas Thundermonkeys have made the playoffs more than any other LOTC franchise in history, but that success appears about ready to run dry in 2009. On paper, the Thundermonkeys should be good enough to contend, but they fell short in both of their first two games. Now, it's all or nothing. They need a win to have any real shot at making the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, and it looks like they're going to have to do it without the legs of Marion Barber. First or Last seemed certain to avoid the last-place 2-11 finish they had in 2008 after making some seemingly great trades at the end of last season, as well as having a solid draft this year. But two weeks into 2009, manager Gavin Espinoza still can't seem to 'win at life'. If Matt Forte can get out of this apparent sophomore slump, First or Last might still be able to salvage their first winning season, but doing so from an 0-3 hole would make the achievement highly unlikely. Forget the playoffs: for the sake of their history, no one is facing more of a must-win situation than First or Last.

LOTC teams to make the playoffs after starting at least 0-2:

- Carmen Sutera, 2003, Phil Massine (No Longer in League)

• Started: 0-2-0
• Finished: 8-5-0
• Final Outcome: 2003 League Champion

- Da Boyz, 2004, David Onyon (Now 'The Undisputed')

• Started: 0-3-0
• Finished: 8-6-0
• Final Outcome: Lost 1st Round to eventual runner-up In Carr We Trust (Now 'I'm a Texan')

- Drew Brees, 2006, Joseph Harper (Now 'I Have a Bush')

• Started: 0-3-0
• Finished: 10-3-0
• Final Outcome: 2006 League Champion

- Vince Young, 2008, Aaron Diehl

• Started 0-2-0
• Finished: 8-5-0
• Final Outcome: Lost 1st Round to eventual runner-up Beatubad

**UPDATE**
As per Aaron's question, there have been a few teams to start 2-0 and miss the playoffs.

In the past six seasons, 19 teams have started 2-0 or better. Of those 19 teams, 15 went on to make the playoffs. The only person still in this league who has missed the playoffs after a 2-0 start is Ben (Beatubad), and he's done it twice. To be fair, the first time it happened was in 2003, which was the only season where we only had four playoff teams.

2003 - Beatubad
 Started: 3-0
 Finished: 7-6, 5th place

2004 - Garden Gnomes (Phil Massine, No Longer in League)
 Started: 2-0
 Finished: 6-8, 10th place

2005 - The Greatest (John Jemison, No Longer in League)
 Started: 2-0
 Finished: 4-9, 9th place

2007 - Beatubad
 Started: 4-0
 Finished: 6-7, 8th place

So now here's the fun stuff. If history is any kind of indicator of odds, you have a 78.9% chance of making the playoffs by starting 2-0. So one of you four teams are probably going to miss out. Starting out 3-0 (12 times in history) gives you an 83.3% chance of making the playoffs, and yet, a 4-0 start (7 times in history) barely improves your odds, at 85.7%.

Only twice has any LOTC team started 5-0 or better. Dinger did it in 2004, with In Carr We Trust. And the best start in league history was 6-0 by David, with The Undisputed in 2005. David finished out that regular season 3-4, but managed to get back on track in time for the playoffs to win the championship. So apparently, a 6-0 start gives you a 100% chance of winning the title.

But if you're Ben Weiss, a 3-0 start apparently gives you a 67% chance of missing the playoffs.

East Division Preview

"The temperature outside is 74 degrees with a slight wind out of the southeast. Please keep your seat belts securely fastened until we have connected with the jetway and the pilot has turned off the seat belt sign. We know you have many choices when you fly; thank you for flying with us today. And welcome to..."

We have arrived. All our bags came in nicely at the baggage claim (except yours... they searched yours, and your undies are hanging out from where they didn't really zip it back up). Rental car checked out nicely; they even upgraded us. And we're all checked in at the hotel. We're here. The time has come. No more waiting.

Let's do this.

After a long, grueling off-season filled with suspensions and reinstatements, retirements and unretirements, trades and free-agent signings, the NFL season is now. Which means Fantasy Football for the League of the Crust has already begun. But, before all the rip-off trades get offered and the league point leaders get screwed out of wins (who's bitter?), I wanted to do a preview of the East division. So here it goes.

Thundermonkeys R Go!
JMB had one of the more solid lineups last year, and this year it shouldn't be much different. Aaron Rodgers is going to be one of the 5 best fantasy QBs this year, and Greg Jennings is only going to get better. The team did take a major blow when Terrel Owens was signed by the Buffalo Bills, relegating Lee Evans to a number 2 WR. Essentially, it's going to be impossible for both of those wide outs to have a huge day on the same week. But, they are both stud receivers, and with some insecurity at the RB position, it looks as though the Bills may turn to the air for offensive production. Everyone knows that both Marion Barber and Brandon Jacobs are going to produce, and Matt Ryan is going to love his new security blanket in Tony Gonzales. And, if for some reason they don't hit it off, Visanthe Shiancoe is going to make a killing off Brett Favre. He's poised for a breakout year. The Thundermokeys biggest challenge is going to come when his backups are forced to play, either via bye week or injury. There's not really anyone worth putting into a starting lineup on the bench, and because of that, this team will lose some games it probably should win.

Djibouti Crust
Jorge's team has a really interesting makeup. There are a lot of guys that are going to be consistent point factories, but not many that are going to wow us with their massive performances. Romo's career is at a crossroads, and he should step up to the plate this year, and having a whole off-season with new number 1 Roy Williams should be a big help (to Romo, Williams, the Cowboys, and The Crust). Dwayne Bowe is hoping that the Chiefs didn't jump the gun on Cassell, a move that will be scrutinized throughout the season, and the Chargers are hoping for another 1,000+ yards out of Vincent Jackson. Djibouti Crust's weakest position group is that of Running Back. While led by the sure-fire Pierre Thomas (although starting the season injured is never a good sign), the other backs are question marks. Ced Benson is gearing up for his last hurrah, hoping to make the splash that some expected at the beginning of his career, and Felix Jones is trying to stay healthy so he does make that impact that he showed he could last year. The sleeper of this team might be TE Dustin Keller. Superstar rookie QBs and solid running games can make tight ends look really good, and Keller is a good enough player to capitalize on an opportunity like this one. Oh, and mark my words: Jorge will get a victory this year solely on the backs of the best defense in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings. Overall, if a few of Jorge's question marks turn into exclamation points, Djibouti Crust could be tough to beat.

Deion Found Jesus
Robby G is poised to score the most points via the pass than any other team in the League of the Crust this season. Tom Brady is back and his knee looks healthy. He's not going to throw 50 TDs again, but he should be in the 40s. And, while I'm glad that I am not the proud owner of one Brandon Marshall simply because it is hard to replace the arm of his former QB, Jake Cutler, it would be a mistake to deny his immense talent. Marshall isn't the only 1200-yard receiver on DFJ that lost his passer in the off-season either. Antonio Bryant is coming off of a breakout year, and expecting one of the 19 Buccaneer QBs to just get the ball somewhere close to him. Also, there's Reggie Wayne. Enough said. Even Chris Henry should have a solid (if not stellar) year. Carson is back in action, and Henry has looked good in camp and the pre-season. However, Robby is going to struggle mightily to score points on the ground. LT is always good for points, as long as he can stay on the field, which isn't a guarantee. I am, however, concerned that Darren Sproles, the other back on the Bolts, is also going to be starting opening day for DFJ. While he will get a point for every hand-off the Chargers run this year, he has handicapped himself by nearly guaranteeing not having a day when both RBs are stars. And if either goes down, he has no one to pick up the pieces.

Prediction
When the season comes to a close after week 13, the credits will roll in the order they appeared.

Thundermonkeys are going to lead this division with great QB play and two of the best RBs in the league. Greg Jennings is going to show that he, along with Rodgers, are undervalued.

Djibouti Crust will finish second through surprise efforts on the parts of Romo, R. Williams, and Benson. All three are going to out-perform their expectations, and the rest of his lineup is going to keep him consistently competitive.

That relegates Deion Found Jesus to last in the division, but only by a nose. The lack of any real running backs on any team not playing in SoCal is going to be his demise. Don't get me wrong, he's gonna light a few people up, and may even finish this season with the highest single week score, but any week where the Chargers play a team with good run defense, it's going to be tough to win.


So, there you have it. The East division in (really long) nutshell. Now please stow all tray tables and place seat backs in the upright and locked position, because we're taking off. And it might be a bumpy ride.

Commissioner's Note - Rivalry Week and Division Changes

Ok, so I basically decided to go ahead and assign the rivalry week match-ups myself. For one thing, I didn't get everyone's preferences and for another, it's easier this way. I made the decisions by finding a way to make everyone's match-up be against someone with whom their all-time record was either tied or just one game apart. The one exception is JMB vs Tim, where Tim holds the all-time record, 6-3-0. But it works out that way anyway, because a) they're in-laws and b) their nine games against each other is tied for the most head-to-head meetings of anyone else in the league.

Most of you don't quite have a 'rivalry' with your match-up, but it'll develop over time.

First or Last vs Deion Found Jesus
1-1-0 Regular Season

1-1-0 All-time

I Have a Bush vs Beatubad
2-2-0 Regular Season
3-2-0 All-time [I Have a Bush]

Vince Young vs Djibouti Crust
2-1-0 Regular Season [Djibouti Crust]
2-2-0 All-time

The Undisputed vs Tenacious D
4-3-0 Regular Season [Tenacious D]
4-4-0 All-time

I'm a Texan vs Wrong Answer
2-2-0 Regular Season
3-2-0 All-time [I'm a Texan]

Texas Thundermonkeys vs Hybrids
4-2-0 Regular Season [Hybrids]
6-3-0 All-time [Hybrids]

Lastly, I decided to go ahead and split the league into four divisions of three teams. One, I like the format better. Two, it makes it much easier to set the 13-game schedule (one game against every team in the league and two against your division foes). So here's how the division make-up now.

NORTH

• Wrong Answer
• Tenacious D
• I Have a Bush

SOUTH

• Beatubad
• Vince Young
• The Undisputed

EAST

• Texas Thundermonkeys
• Deion Found Jesus
• Djibouti Crust

WEST

• Hybrids
• I'm a Texan
• First or Last

The other two teams in your divisions will be the team you play twice every season. Get to know them.

News to date.....

Ok, so here's the changes we know of that have directly affected the keeper designations to this point.

Matt Cassell (Wrong Answer) traded to Kansas City:

With Matt Cassell's departure from New England into the starting seat at Kansas City, Paul Ferguson is looking much wiser having spent his QB designation on the former Brady back-up. You've got to think that with the great draft the Chiefs had last year, the acquisition of Cassell and the hiring of Bellichick-baby Scott Pioli, Kansas City could be this year's Atlanta Falcons. Regardless of what it means for their real season, one thing is certain. With defenses having to respect/fear the passing game more, Larry Johnson (should he stay out of trouble) could get back to the production he once had only a couple of years ago. Furthermore, the Crust and Thundermonkeys must certainly be feeling better about having Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez, respectively, on their rosters.

Texas Thundermonkeys

JMB might have something to be happy about with Tony Gonzalez, but there's plenty to frown over among his keepers as well. TO's release (all Cowboy fans breathe relief) is a telling sign that the receiver is undoubtedly past his days as a top-10 receiver. Signing with Buffalo doesn't help much either. The Bills are a rush-first team and TO should expect 10-15 fewer pass attempts per game than what he saw in Dallas. On top of that, the Bills already have a number one receiver and a great deep threat with whom they are very happy (Lee Evans). Then comes the matter of Matt Jones, the other troubled receiver (JMB the fantasy equivalent of Jerry Jones?) on his roster. Jones was just released by the Jags last week and is unlikely to find another home before the start of the season. And even if he does manage to find a team to sign with (beware Cowboy fans), he's almost certainly facing a suspension for at least the first four games of the season, if not the entire year.

My move if I was in JMB's shoes? Part ways with Matt Jones as soon as the fantasy draft is over. And think about exercising that redshirt option with Robert Meachem, even though the Saints signed an extension with Devery Henderson.

Kellen Winslow (Deion Found Jesus) to Tampa Bay:

Despite his tremendous production in two of the last three seasons, it was definitely time for the Browns and Winslow to go separate ways. Justified or not, Winslow rubbed the wrong people the wrong way last season when he mouthed off over the failure of management to get control over the staph infection problem that seemed to hit Cleveland worse than any other team. Winslow is wildly talented and shouldn't be affected negatively by the change of scenery. Other than the questionable situation at QB (any different from what he had at the old place), he should feel right at home in TB. One guy this could hurt is Braylon Edwards, who had already dropped off majorly from a stellar season in 2007. If he was hoping to return to his old form, he's gonna have to do it without another quality receiving threat to distract the defense.

TJ Houshmandzadeh (First or Last) to Seattle

This is great news from Matt Hasselbeck's point of view. Houshmandzadeh is the best receiver Hasselbeck has ever had the luxury of throwing the ball to, so he certainly has something to look forward to in 2009. I would look for Houshmandzadeh's reception count to go down by 10-15, but yards and TDs should improve. As far as what this means for Chad Johnson (Hybrids) in terms of production, that's just a matter of wait-and-see. He's gonna miss having such a viable threat on the opposite side, but he also had several pro-bowl seasons serving as the only quality receiver on the team before the emergence of Houshmandzadeh.

Keeper Designations

Vince Young

QB - Kurt Warner - ARI
WR - Calvin Johnson - DET
WR - Kevin Curtis - PHI
RB - Adrian Peterson - MIN
TE - Chris Cooley - WAS
K/DEF - Rob Bironas - TEN
MC - Carson Palmer - QB - CIN
MC - Frank Gore - RB - SF
RS - Joe Flacco - QB - BAL

Wrong Answer

QB - Matt Cassel - NE (Traded to KC)
WR - Anquan Boldin - ARI
WR - Desean Jackson - PHI
RB - Reggie Bush - NO
TE - Dallas Clark - IND
K/DEF - Tennessee Titans
MC - Marshawn Lynch - RB - BUF
MC - Darren McFadden - RB - OAK
RS - Andre Caldwell - WR - CIN

Texas Thundermonkeys

QB - Aaron Rogers - GB
WR - Greg Jennings - GB
WR - Terrell Owens - DAL (FA to BUF)
RB - Marion Barber - DAL
TE - Tony Gonzalez - KC
K/DEF - New York Giants
MC - Brandon Jacobs - RB - NYG
MC - Matt Jones - WR - JAX (Released)
RS - Robert Meachem - WR - NO

Hybrids

QB - Donovan McNabb - PHI
WR - Wes Welker - NE
WR - Chad Johnson - CIN
RB - Bryan Westbrook - PHI
TE - Greg Olsen - CHI
K/DEF - Indianapolis Colts
MC - DeAngelo Williams - RB - CAR
MC - Clinton Portis - RB - WAS
RS - Shaun McDonald - WR - DET

Tenacious D

QB - Jay Cutler - DEN
WR - Randy Moss - NE
WR - Roddy White - ATL
RB - Stephen Jackson - STL
TE - Kevin Boss - NYG
K/DEF - Pittsburgh Steelers
MC - Thomas Jones - RB - NYJ
MC - Santana Moss - WR - WAS
RS - Early Doucet - WR - ARI

Beatubad

QB - Peyton Manning - IND
WR - Steve Smith - NYG
WR - Steve Smith - CAR
RB - Laurence Maroney - NE
TE - John Carlson - SEA
K/DEF - Ryan Longwell - MIN
MC - Eddie Royal - WR - DEN
MC - Earnest Graham - RB - TB
RS - Josh Cribbs - WR - CLE

Deion Found Jesus

QB - Tom Brady - NE
WR - Brandon Marshall - DEN
WR - Antonio Bryant - TB
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson - SD
TE - Kellen Winslow - CLE (FA to TB)
K/DEF - Stephen Gostkowski - NE
MC - Brady Quinn - QB - CLE
MC - Reggie Wayne - WR - IND
RS - Chris Perry - WR - CIN

I'm a Texan

QB - Matt Schaub - HOU
WR - Andre Johnson - HOU
WR - Ted Ginn Jr - MIA
RB - Steve Slaton - HOU
TE - Owen Daniels - HOU
K/DEF - Kris Brown - HOU
MC - Ryan Grant - RB - GB
MC - Vince Young - QB - TEN
RS - Kevin Kolb - QB - PHI

I Have a Bush

QB - Drew Brees - NO
WR - Marques Colston - NO
WR - Hines Ward - PIT
RB - Maurice Jones-Drew - JAX
TE - Jeremy Shockey - NO
K/DEF - Baltimore Ravens
MC - Lance Moore - WR - NO
MC - Willie Parker - RB - PIT
RS - Carnell Williams - RB - TB

The Undisputed

QB - Philip Rivers - SD
WR - Larry Fitzgerald - ARI
WR - Donald Driver - GB
RB - Joseph Addai - IND
TE - Jason Witten - DAL
K/DEF - Dallas Cowboys
MC - Greg Camarillo - WR - MIA
MC - Robbie Gould - K - CHI
RS - Chris Johnson - RB - TEN

Djiboutti Crust

QB - Tony Romo - DAL
WR - Roy Williams - DAL
WR - Dwayne Bowe - KC
RB - Jonathan Stewart - CAR
TE - Dustin Keller - NYJ
K/DEF - Minnesota Vikings
MC - Vincent Jackson - WR - SD
MC - Pierre Thomas - RB - NO
RS - Donnie Avery - WR - STL

First or Last

QB - Matt Ryan - ATL
WR - TJ Houshmandzadeh - CIN (FA to SEA)
WR - Plaxico Burress - NYG
RB - Michael Turner - ATL
TE - Antonio Gates - SD
K/DEF - Jason Elam - ATL
MC - Matt Forte - RB - CHI
MC - Bernard Berrian - WR - MIN
RS - James Hardy - WR - BUF

League Records

Longest Win Streak, Season - 10 - Drew Brees (2006)
Longest Losing Streak, Season - 9 - I'm a Texan (2007)
Most Points, Season - 3187 - Deion Got Saved (2006)
Least Points, Season - 1261.5 - Team Without a RB (2004)
Most Points, Week - 342 - Vince Young (2006 - Week 12)
Least Points, Week - 0 -Texas Thundermonkeys (2005 - Week 1)

300-POINT CLUB

Vince Young

• 2006 - Wk 2 - 311
• 2006 - Wk 12 - 342
• 2007 - Wk 12 - 332

The Undisputed

• 2006 - Wk 6 - 310.5

Beatubad

• 2006 - Wk 7 - 341

I Have a Bush

• 2006 - Wk 12 - 301
• 2007 - Wk 9 - 326.5

I'm a Texan

• 2006 - Wk 13 - 300.5

Texas Thundermonkeys

• 2007 - Wk 2 - 301

Deion Found Jesus

• 2007 - Wk 3 - 335.5
  

2008 - We Have Our 12

After five years of constantly-changing teams and managers, the League of the Crust became complete. Gavin Espinoza joined, creating First or Last, and committing to the newly-instituted changes. Perhaps symbolic of the monumental achievement, the league settings went through some dramatic transformations as well. The LOTC converted to a dynasty league and also instituted a redshirt designation. Draft day trades became allowable and managers (three or four of them) paid an entry fee to help Jorge upgrade the league to a PLUS.

Final regular season standings:

Team *Wrong Answer				W 10	L 3	T 0		Points 2431.5
*Texas Thundermonkeys				9	4	0		2491.5
*Vince Young				8	5	0		2540
*Hybrids				8	5	0		2445.5
*Tenacious D				7	6	0		2602
*Beatubad				7	6	0		2287.5
Deion Found Jesus				7	6	0		2102
I'm a Texan				6	7	0		2409.5
I Have a Bush				6	7	0		2360
The Undisputed				5	8	0		2224
Djiboutti Crust				3	10	0		2095
First or Last				2	11	0		2210.5

Vince Young became only the second defending champion to make the playoffs the following season, but they quickly dropped out of contention, losing their quarterfinal game to Beatubad. Tim Ferguson moved his Hybrids on to the semifinals for their first ever playoff meeting against his son's team, Wrong Answer. Dominant all season long, Wrong Answer moved on to the final with ease, but Texas Thundermonkeys failed to advance after earning a first-round bye for the second-straight season, losing to sixth seed Beatubad. In a battle of '1 vs 6', Beatubad was no match for the superior roster of Wrong Answer, as Paul Ferguson earned his first league title.

Interesting Facts:

Since the playoff field became six teams in 2005, the sixth seed had never won in the first round. Beatubad did that and more, advancing all the way to the championship before finally losing. If Beatubad had won, Ben Weiss would have become the first manager to win two league titles. Instead, the LOTC yielded its sixth first-time champion.

No team won more than four consecutive games in the entire season. Vince Young won four in a row once and Wrong Answer did it twice. The longest win streak in the previous seasons were 8, 6, 9, 10 and 8.

Additionally (and probably indirectly correlated), First or Last had the longest losing streak of the season, with six. This was the shortest long-streak since the first season in 2003, when The Regulators did the same.

2007 - The Alphabet Creates Riot

Looking to fill the twelfth vacancy left by Jaydan, Jorge reached out to the original league champion, Phil Massine. Phil was adequately involved, though not enough to satisfy Jorge's tastes. Furthermore, he was wildly uncompetitive.

But it was posts written by Dinger that included 'acronyms' like FU, WTF and LMAO that were the non-football highlight of the season, as the Houstonians became defiant and Commissioner Jorge took his role too seriously.

On the fantasy field, Vince Young picked up where he left off last season, determined to not lose another opportunity to play for the title.

Final regular season standings:

Team *Texas Thundermonkeys				W 11	L 2	T 0		Points 3094.5
*Deion Got Saved (Deion Found Jesus)				9	4	0		3060.5
*Vince Young				9	4	0		3055
*Tenacious D				8	5	0		2857.5
*Wrong Answer				8	5	0		2741.5
*Djiboutti Crust				8	5	0		2710
The Hybrids				6	7	0		2700.5
Beatubad				6	7	0		2503
The Undisputed				5	8	0		2835
I Really Have A Bush (I Have a Bush)				3	10	0		2465.5
Brain Trust (Phil Massine - NLIL)				3	10	0		2452
I'm a Texan				2	11	0		2222

Keeping with the times, the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals yet again, as Vince Young and Tenacious D won their quarterfinal games. Playing in the semis, Texas Thundermonkeys and Deion Got Saved weren't able to take advantage of their byes, allowing VY and TEN to meet in the championship. In the 16th week, Vince Young kept his begin-of-season promise to bring the trophy home to his fantasy children.

Interesting Facts:

Things went back to normal in 2007, as I Have a Bush became the third of four defending champions to miss the playoffs only one season after winning their championship.

Texas Thundermonkeys became the first team to have the longest win-streak in the season AND score the most points in the league.

2006 - Houstonians Wreak Havoc

Desperate to get 12 managers that would commit to remaining active for the entire season, Jorge raised his standards for who could be in the league. After welcoming Dinger back into the fray, he needed only three active managers to yield a truly competitive 12-team league. So he invited Joseph Harper, with whom he had watched the entire first day of the NFL draft while attending Houston Baptist University. Surely someone else who was enough of a fan to watch the draft all day would be an active fantasy player. Then Dinger suggested Aaron Diehl, another HBUer who he swore would be committed to the league. Finally, Jorge invited Jaydan Gumm to fill the last spot.

It worked. For the first time in its four years of existence, the LOTC had twelve managers who competed from start to finish. But those Houstonians.........Dinger had been enough by himself. But he was empowered by having two more of his cohorts in the league, and the trash-talking reached levels never-before seen. The competitive element of the league combined with the exponential growth in entertainment value transformed the LOTC into something to truly look forward to being a part of. To make matters worse, the new guys were dominant in their first year as members.

Final regular season standings:

Team *Drew Brees (I Have a Bush)				W 10	L 3	T 0		Points 3104.5
*Vince Young				9	4	0		3148.5
*Deion Got Saved (Deion Found Jesus)				8	5	0		3187
*BeatUBad				7	5	1		2972.5
*Im Just Better (I'm a Texan)				7	6	0		3037
*The Undisputed				7	6	0		2998
The Hybrids				7	6	0		2994
Djiboutti Crust				6	6	1		2884.5
XCon4Christ (Jaydan Gumm - NLIL)				5	7	1		2669.5
Texas Thundermonkeys				5	7	1		2439
Dueling Brothers (Wrong Answer)				3	10	0		2686.5
Tenacious D				2	11	0		2548

The constant bickering and controversial smack-talk would prove to be too much for Jaydan, who asked not to be invited the following season. Drew Brees, who had lost their first three games of the season, took the top seed into the playoffs, therefore earning a bye along with fellow expansion team Vince Young. In the quarters, Deion Got Saved and Beatubad moved on, marking the first time (other than 2003, when only four teams made the playoffs) that the top four seeds where in the semifinals. Drew Brees proved to be too much for Beatubad, but Deion Got Saved managed to upset Vince Young to reach the title game. Despite the support from 75% of the league to pull of the upset win, Deion Got Saved couldn't outscore the overwhelming numbers from Drew Brees, as Joe received the [imaginary] trophy in his first season as a member of the LOTC.

Interesting Facts:

Drew Brees represented a variety of firsts in the league. They were the first team (and now officially, only) to win the title in their first year in the LOTC. The were also the first to make the playoffs (as well as win a championship) after losing their first three regular season games. And finally, they were the first to win 10 consecutive regular season games. This stands as the longest regular-season win streak in history. Drew Brees (now, I Have a Bush) also holds the record for most consecutive games won at 12, which he accomplished in 2006 as well.

The Undisputed became the first defending champion to make the playoffs the following season. Ironically, it was also with the closest margin in history that they made the playoffs, earning entry by scoring merely four points more than Hybrids.

2005 - Dinger Gets The Boot

The League of the Crust was apparently not ready to handle the overconfidence and relentless smack-talk of Stephen Dinger. So when 2005 came along, Jorge snubbed him. The pool of teams was also brought down to a total of 12, which would become the permanent setting for the LOTC.

While the 2005 fantasy season was certainly very fun, Jorge (and I'm sure several other managers) realized that it just wasn't quite as entertaining without the mouth of Dinger. He resolved right then that this would be the only season without the Texan fan.

Final regular season standings:

Team *Djiboutti Crust				W 11	L 2	T 0		Points 2623
*Urine Trouble (Tenacious D)				10	3	0		2458
*The Undisputed				9	4	0		2447
*Deion Got Saved (Deion Found Jesus)				8	5	0		2360.5
*Texas Thundermonkeys				8	5	0		2236
*Da Bombers (Wrong Answer)				7	6	0		1896.5
Another Win This Year (Beatubad)				6	7	0		2319
The Hybrids				6	7	0		1996
The Greatest (John Jemison - NLIL)				4	9	0		1908.5
TDTDwewantaTD (Heather Sartain - NLIL)				3	10	0		1691.5
JazzFluteFairyBoys (Greg Liles - NLIL)				3	10	0		1635.5
Teamcutusobad (Some guy - NLIL)				3	10	0		1478

Once again, the title-holder from the previous year missed out on a playoff berth, so we were certain to see a new champion. The 2005 season was also the first to see the new settings, with the top two seeds earning a bye through the first round of playoffs. In the quarterfinals, the Texas Thundermonkeys pulled off an upset to move on to face Djiboutti Crust, while The Undisputed moved on to face Urine Trouble in the semifinals. Djiboutti Crust advanced to their second championship game in three years, but would lose once again, this time to The Undisputed.

Interesting Facts:

Djiboutti Crust's 11 regular season wins was the most in a single-season by any team in league history. The Texas Thundermonkeys would match that number in 2007, but like the Crust, would not win the title. In fact, teams with 10 or more wins in a single season have only won the championship 33% of the time. Before Drew Brees won in 2006 and Wrong Answer did the same in 2008, that number was a mere 16%.

Johnmichael Barajas (Texas Thundermonkeys) achieved a record that will never be broken by failing to set his lineup on time in Week 1. Consequently, he scored 0 points. He still would have lost that week, but it doesn't take away the humiliation of getting a bad record that can never be broken.

2004 - Ridonculous Growth

An overwhelming number of changes took place for the 2004 season, as several people approached the commissioner of the league to express their interest in being a part. Wanting to experience growth (and also having just competed in a 20-team league in the previous season), Jorge welcomed far too many new players and the league grew to 16 teams; seven would not last very long in the LOTC.

The name was changed in order to make it slightly more official. Because the majority of the league was a part of Jorge's church, it was named Trinity Fantasy League.

Final standings:

Team *Alrighty Then (Beatubad)				W 10	L 3	T 1		Points 2083.5
*In Carr We Trust (I'm a Texan)				10	4	0		2007
*The Supreme Beings (Tenacious D)				10	4	0		1756
*Texas Thundermonkeys				9	5	0		1875
*The Hybrids				8	4	2		1845
*Djiboutti Crust				9	5	0		1742
*Da Boyz (Wrong Answer)				8	6	0		1893
*Mustangs (Some guy - NLIL)				8	6	0		1619.5
TDTDwewantaTD (Heather Sartain - NLIL)				8	6	0		1557.5
Garden Gnomes (Phil Massine - NLIL)				6	8	0		1530
Da Bulls (Greg Liles - NLIL)				5	9	0		1543.5
Gad Em Coach (Steve Fiedler - NLIL)				5	9	0		1389.5
Brent Miller (Robert Esparza - NLIL)				4	9	1		1367
The Tigers (The Undisputed)				4	10	0		1357.5
The Wrath of Korea (John Jemison - NLIL)				3	11	0		1325.5
Team Without a RB (Deion Found Jesus)				3	11	0		1261.5

With the defending champion out of the playoffs, eight teams went into week 14 ready to produce a new champion. The top two seeds (Alrighty Then, In Carr We Trust) moved on with ease, but The Hybrids and Djiboutti Crust managed to pull off upsets to move into the semifinals. Alrighty Then and In Carr We Trust would prove be too dominant for an upset, as they moved on to the championship. Likely still bitter from being snubbed from the 2003 playoffs after having the highest-scoring team, Ben Weiss found vindication as Alrighty Then won the title.

Interesting fact:

Even though only nine of the 16 managers would go on to remain part of the LOTC, seven of them earned one of the eight playoff slots in 2004. This is a clear indicator of why some were invited back and others weren't. Jorge wanted only the most competitive and most active so that he could ensure the league remained highly competitive.

2003 - A New League is Born

Initial posts will be longer than the norm, since I will first publish a history of the league to try to catch up to where we are right now.

In 2003, Jorge Parrales created a fantasy football league, primarily because he was discontent with what he considered an unnecessary imbalance in the value of different positions in fantasy football. Knowing that he would never be able to make them perfectly equal in value, his only goal was to lessen the gap between various positions. This was achievable by adding more statistical categories. Instead of scoring settings being strictly limited to yards gained and touchdowns scored, points could be earned for completions, carries and receptions. By giving points-per-completion, the quarterback would [usually] become the highest-scoring position in the league. By doubling the credit for a reception, quality receivers became as important to their fantasy teams as they were in real life, and it also increased the value of a running back who could contribute as a receiver as well as they did to the running game. Perfecting the system would take some time; it still might not even be complete. But there's no doubt that what has resulted has raised the competitive element of fantasy football. No longer is a championship practically guaranteed simply by getting the best RB in the draft. Strategy and good management decisions are more important than ever.

In 2003, Yahoo was also just getting started in the world of fantasy football. Commissioner powers were limited and league requirements were minimal. This is why the League of the Crust (LOTC) was able to have an odd number of teams.

Lazily named "Have Some Fun", the LOTC was filled with nine teams, five that continue to be a part of the league to this day. With an odd number, one team per week had to sit out on a 'bye' week. With 15 games in the regular season, this meant six teams would have two bye weeks, resulting in a different number of games played. This would prove to play a mildly controversial role in determining the four playoff teams.

Final regular season standings are as follows.

Team Name *The HD King (Hybrids)				W 10	L 3	T 0		Points 2731
*The Master Plan (Texas Thundermonkeys)				9	5	0		2558
*Carmen Sutera (Phil Massine - NLIL)				8	5	0		2889
*Djiboutti Crust				8	6	0		2685
Beatubad				7	6	0		2895
The Hatian Sensation (Tenacious D)				6	7	0		2614
Great to be Kings (John Jemison - NLIL)				4	9	0		2446
19-10 (I'm a Texan)				4	9	0		2326
Regulators (Steve Fiedler - NLIL)				4	10	0		2018

In the semifinals, both lower seeds won as Djiboutti Crust and Carmen Sutera moved on to the championship, where Carmen Sutera emerged as the league champion.

Carmen Sutera's owner, Phil Massine, is the only league champion that is no longer a member of the league. Additionally, the 2003 season stands as the only year where the league's highest-scoring team did not make the playoffs.