Not that this blog is bloated with readers hanging on every word in every post, but I'm still sorry it's been a couple of weeks since I updated any news or history for the LOTC. Things have gotten very busy for my other job at Nova Fantasy Sports (obviously, with the fantasy playoffs going on right now), so I've been forced to neglect some of my less-important hobbies.
So it might seem rather sudden to be reminded that your FINAL keeper designations are due by midnight tomorrow night, but they are. I hope everyone meets the deadline, because every every draft pick you own will go down one spot for each day the deadline is missed. You can post your designations on our yahoo page OR as a comment on this blog. If you've already turned in your designations, please check that I've entered them correctly by going here and looking under the 'Keeper Designations' tab, under 2010.
In other news, this might or might not be important to you, but I have decided to stop managing my Djibouti Crust team next season. I'm the sort of crazed organizational nut who loves playing fantasy football, but who loves running a league as a commissioner even more. My already abnormal obsession has enabled me to [hopefully] deliver a product to you guys that is far superior to any other fantasy football league you are in. For me, my increased involvement in running things behind the scenes has hindered my ability to manage my team as well as I would like. I've actually been pondering this decision since the last offseason. There's even more changes I want to make in years to come to enhance and improve the LOTC experience and those changes will only make it harder for me to manage my team while maintaining the high standard that I want to hold as a league commissioner.
Like I said, I think one of the benefits to this decision will be that I can devote even more time to making this league the best fantasy football experience possible. Another pro is that you will have the benefit of having a commissioner who can make decisions and rulings as objectively as humanly possible. I'll obviously want to see the excellent heritage of the Djibouti Crust franchise continue, so I'll be pulling for them every year. But it still allows me to make more of the inevitably controversial decisions without the question of whether my choice is motivated by my own team's success. One of the settings changes to be brought about by this decision will be the dissolution of the trade approval committee. Now, all decisions on trades will be made by someone who is not running one of the teams in the league.
You can also now expect me to start planning an ACTUAL draft party every year. We had some makeshift stuff at Buffalo Wild Wings for a few years, but since I was trying to prepare for my own team's draft, I didn't put very much thought or effort into planning the party. I'm going to start planning the 2010 draft NOW, and I plan on having it at someone's house. At this point, almost half of the league managers are NOT living in Dallas and we might be even more spread out by the time the next season starts, but I figure with enough notice, we can at least get the majority of this group together for a draft party.
So that's that. I wouldn't bother protesting (if you were planning on it) because I'm not going to change my decision. I'm honestly more excited than ever about what this decision means for the LOTC and I think you will all eventually agree that it was a very good decision.
And in case you were wondering, the individual taking over management of the Djibouti Crust franchise is one of my good friends, Jacob Herrera, whom many of you already know. You probably didn't notice his username under my team page, but I added him as a co-manager more than a week ago so that he could take a look at the roster and choose his own keepers for next season. I'm fully confidant he'll do well in carrying on the great Djibouti Crust heritage.
Also, congratulations to Joe and David, whose teams, 'The Big Breesy' and 'The Undisputed' are facing off for the championship this week, which means we will finally have our first ever two-time champion in the LOTC.
Showing posts with label The Undisputed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Undisputed. Show all posts
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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.....
+ 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.
- Beatubad
- First or Last
- Texas Thundermonkeys
- Wrong Answer
- Vince Young
- I'm a Texan
+ 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.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
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
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
Saturday, November 28, 2009
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 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
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
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 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
Thursday, November 12, 2009
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 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
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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 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
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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
All-time Regular Season: 2-2-0
All-time Regular Season: 4-2-0, DFJ
All-time Regular Season: 2-2-0
All-time Regular Season: 3-1-0, VY
All-time Regular Season: 1-0-0, TT
- Carmen Sutera, 2003, Phil Massine (No Longer in League)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Carmen Sutera, 2003, Phil Massine (No Longer in League)
- Started: 0-2-0
- Finished: 8-5-0
- Final Outcome: 2003 League Champion
- 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')
- Started: 0-3-0
- Finished: 10-3-0
- Final Outcome: 2006 League Champion
- Started 0-2-0
- Finished: 8-5-0
- Final Outcome: Lost 1st Round to eventual runner-up Beatubad
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.
League History Corrected
I was finally able to completely correct all of the league history errors that resulted from me mixing up Paul's (The Tigers) and David's (Da Boyz) teams in 2004.
The overall records have been corrected, dropping Paul from 6th all-time to 9th, while David jumped up from 10th to 8th.
Also, the all-time head-to-head records have been corrected, which was the most tedious part of the fix. The most notable thing from this correction is that it means Paul has never beaten Ryan in the six match-ups they have had against each other, which makes their week 4 meeting all-the-more interesting.
League History
The overall records have been corrected, dropping Paul from 6th all-time to 9th, while David jumped up from 10th to 8th.
Also, the all-time head-to-head records have been corrected, which was the most tedious part of the fix. The most notable thing from this correction is that it means Paul has never beaten Ryan in the six match-ups they have had against each other, which makes their week 4 meeting all-the-more interesting.
League History
Thursday, August 6, 2009
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
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.
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
- Beatubad
- Vince Young
- The Undisputed
- Texas Thundermonkeys
- Deion Found Jesus
- Djibouti Crust
- Hybrids
- I'm a Texan
- First or Last
Monday, March 16, 2009
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
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
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
- 2006 - Wk 6 - 310.5
- 2006 - Wk 7 - 341
- 2006 - Wk 12 - 301
- 2007 - Wk 9 - 326.5
- 2006 - Wk 13 - 300.5
- 2007 - Wk 2 - 301
- 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:
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.
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:
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.
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:
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.
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:
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.
| 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 | ||||
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:
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.
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.
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