2006 Champion is Crowned
Simpsons League Article - 2006 Champion is Crowned
Dave Kreklau 2006 Simpsons Champion
I'm back folks...Welcome to 2007...
 
Congratulations are in order for Dave Kreklau as he ran through the Simpson's League playoffs and won the 2007 Simpson's League title in a good matchup over John Murray (83-73).  Bull 1983 didn't have a TE (Shockey) and Ron Dayne was quietly absent from the game this week, but they got a huge 40 point outburst from Steven Jackson to win the title.  4 players scored in double-digits for the Ruff Riders, but nobody had an outstanding performance and they couldn't plug away enough to win the title.  Bull did a great job of trading this year to put his team in contention for this year and beyond...Congrats Dirtbag, you won title's #7 and #8 overall for your career in SGS Leagues...
 
Great job by a number of teams this year...John Murray for getting to the title game, when he didn't think he'd even make the playoffs going into the final week of the year.  Joe Pizzimenti for dominating the league for most of the year.  Brad North for also having a tremendous regular season.  Joe Harris for getting hot late in the year to secure a playoff berth...Great job everyone...
 
We award $10 weekly prizes to each team in this league for having the high score in the league each week.  Here was the breakdown of winners:
 
Week 1:  Chili Crashers
Week 2:  NY CJWO
Week 3:  Tekies
Week 4:  FFB Wizards
Week 5:  Bull 1983
Week 6:  Socko's Revenge
Week 7:  Richmond Silver Surfers
Week 8:  Springfield Isotopes
Week 9:  NY CJWO
Week 10:  Springfield Isotopes
Week 11:  Zookers
Week 12:  NY CJWO
Week 13:  H-Town Ruff Riders
Week 14:  Socko's Revenge
Week 15:  Potomac Rage
Week 16:  Bull 1983
Week 17:  Tekies
 
I had a nice week off of work and some R&R to get me going for 2007...Dirtbag...if you can send me a digital photo head shot and I'll post it on the SmartGuySports.com Hall of Champions or do you want me to just use a stock photo (ROFL)...Each of the teams that have money owed to them I will be sending out an email and will set that up for you today...
 
New Year's Day is my favorite Day of the entire year...It's the day that I get up late...watch some college football...get bored, and start doing my final fantasy football roundups and cleanups for the year.  The boredom hit me about noon today...So here's some final Simpsons Business for the year...This is a keeper league so making rules changes means that we have to vote on these things, but there are a couple of issues that will need to be addressed...
 
I will be doing the draft pick draw for the 2007 draft sometime this afternoon.  As you know we have a random dice draw that determines our picks...The Draft Order was drawn and here is the base 2007 Draft order:
#1:  Potomac Rage
#2:  Conman's Criminals
#3:  Chili Crashers
#4:  Tekies
#5:  Richmond Silver Surfers
#6:  Zookers
#7:  Springfield Isotopes
#8:  Socko's Revenge
#9:  FFB Wizards
#10:  NY CJWO
#11:  H-Town Ruff Riders
#12:  Bull 1983
 
This will give everyone a ton of stuff to think about in 2007...where and who can I pick in next year's draft.  It should also be an active off-season for trades as people try to figure out ways to move up in the draft by moving players, and manuevering around...
 
Now is also the time of the year when teams need to declare if they want to put the Franchise Tag on any of their players...The only players on each teams' rosters that are eligible for the franchise tag are players that have a salary of $1 and have 2006 in the contract field.  If they player that you want to put the franchise tag on will cost your team a draft pick then that will be factored in (example, Donald Driver or Mike Vick).  If not, then the franchise tag adds one year to that player.  For example, Tony Romo might be a decent choice for this year...I need these turned into me by email by Friday...that way I can close out the rosters for the league and open up off-season trading...
 
I hope that everyone enjoyed the year and I hope that everyone is coming back next year...I've got a couple of announcements to make on 2007.  One...I have enlisted Dirtbag and my brother Brad into helping do recaps and stuff for their former leagues that I took on, which should free myself up for more of that in 2007.  I know you guys all like that stuff and I'm going to try and accomodate as much as possible...
 
The following players will cost teams draft picks based on performance from 2007 (may include franchise players this week):
 
QB:  Peyton Manning, FFB Wizards
RB:  LaDainian Tomlinson, NY CJWO
RB:  Larry Johnson, Socko's Revenge
RB:  Steven Jackson, Bull 1983
RB:  Tiki Barber, Tekies
RB:  Maurice Jones-Drew, Zookers
RB:  Rudi Johnson, Richmond Silver Surfers
RB:  Deuce McAllister, Chili Crashers
WR:  Terrell Owens, Richmond Silver Surfers
WR:  Torry Holt, Bull 1983
WR:  Lee Evans, Zookers
WR:  Roy Williams, Chili Crashers
WR:  TJ Houshmandzadeh, Tekies
WR:  Andre Johnson, Tekies
WR:  Lavernaues Coles, Richmond Silver Surfers
WR:  Anquan Boldin, FFB Wizards
 
So here's each teams tally of picks lost:
 
Tekies (3)
Richmond Silver Surfers (3)
FFB Wizards (2)
Bull 1983 (2)
Zookers (2)
Chili Crashers (2)
Socko's Revenge (1)
NY CJWO (1)
Conman's Criminals (0)
H-Town Ruff Riders (0)
Potomac Rage (0)
Springfield Isotopes (0)
 
There is going to be a lot of upheavel in the league this offseason as there are a ton of great players that are going to be in the draft...plan your strategies out well...
 
I have decided that there are some rules changes that I would really like to incorporate into 2007 and beyond...I'm not a big fan of going crazy with rules changes, but there are a couple of items that I think definately need to be fixed in 2007.  I'm going to spell them out here and if anyone has any comments, suggestions, or have some ideas of their own, then let's hear them...I'd like to get these decided on and posted soon.  Thanks...
 
#1:  Waivers...I would like to move the weekly waivers from running on Wednesday night to running on Friday nights...this gives teams more time to put in waivers and gives everyone more of a chance to pickup waivers fairly.  Because waivers now run on Wednesday, some teams don't hardly use the waiver system and instead just put in first come first serve players...We would keep this for the rest of the week, just move the blind bidding from running on Wednesday nights to Friday nights...this gives everyone more of a shot to put in their waivers.  I realize that there are Thursday games, but the bye weeks are over by them and I don't think it will be a big issue...
 
#2:  We need to boost up the scoring for DEF/ST's a bit in this league...I've tinkered with this over the years, but only giving points for sacks, turnovers, and TD's has not given the most accurate picture of these DEF's.  In the past we have used a formula for awarding points to DEF/ST based on offensive points allowed...I would like to add this in for next year...here is the scoring for DEF's that I'm proposing...
 
Defensive scores (fumble/interception return for a TD: 4 points
Special teams scores (kick return/block kick return): 6 points
Safety: 5 points
Two points for each turnover caused by a defense or special teams.
One point per sack recorded by a defense
Offensive Points Allowed:
   0-5 points allowed:  10 points
   6-10 points allowed:  7 points
   11-15 points allowed:  5 points
   16-20 points allowed:  3 points
   21-25 points allowed:  1 point
   26-30 points allowed:  -1 point
   31-35 points allowed:  -3 points
   36-40 points allowed:  -5 points
   41-45 points allowed:  -7 points
   46+ points allowed:  -10 points
 
#3:  Elimination of the franchise tag...This almost got passed last year but it kind of died on the vine...I'd like to revisit this again and propose we eliminate it completely...We have plenty of keepers in each league, I'm just not sure we need to have another one...it's also confusing to teams to remember that we have it and how to use it...if we did vote to eliminate it, it wouldn't take affect until next year...so we would still have franchise players this year, but next year would not.
 
#4:  Change the players that cost picks from 5 QB, 10 RB, 10 WR to 5 QB, 12 RB, 12 WR.  It's sort of weird that we have 10 RB's and 15 WR's cost picks when we use flex positions for those players.  You can start more RB's than WR's but more WR's will cost picks...I think it would be best to even this up...This rule also would not take affect until next year.
 
#5:  The Tiki Barber situation.  This is an item that the league is going to have to vote on.  Tiki Barber is under contract for this year and next year and he also finished in the top 10 RB's in the league this year.  Which means that he will cost the team that has him a draft pick in next year's draft based on the league rules.  If he does retire in the offseason, then what do we do?  Should the team that has him still lose the draft pick?  This is a very unique situation, it is not the same as a player such as Ricky Williams being suspended from the league, etc.  Since Barber would not be able to be picked up or even on a roster if he is not in the NFL, then how can we have him stay on the roster of the team that has him and have him lose the draft pick.  Everyone way in with your opinions and then we'll put this up for a league vote.  Remember that you should put yourself in this team's shoes and weigh-in with that opinion.  Thanks...
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Brian Kreklau
 
Week 12 Playoff Picture
Simpsons League Article - Week 12 Playoff Picture
Playoffs?

Short and Sweet, here's the Simpson's Playoff Picture with 2 weeks left to go:

#1:  NY CJWO (Clinched Division and #1 Seed)
#2:  Springfield Isotopes (Clinched Division and #2 Seed)
#3:  Tekies

#4:  FFB Wizards (7-5, Top Wild Card)
#5:  Richmond Silver Surfers (6-6, 1164 points)

#6:  Based on Total Points...Here are the standings for the last playoff spot:

#1:  Socko's Revenge, 1171
#2:  Bull 1983, 1125
#3:  Zookers, 1123
#4:  Chili Crashers, 1112
#5:  H-Town Ruff Riders, 1095

So the #5 and #6 spots in this league are still very much in play.  As Richmond and Chili are tied at 6-6 and the others are behind at 5-7, with two to go.  Tekies and Richmond also are still battling for the divison and that will matter as the Tekies have a high number of points scored and that would help in tie-breakers.  Lots of scoreboard watching...

***VERY IMPORTANT***

There are no waivers or trades anymore in this league after the start of the Sunday games on Week 14.  That means playoffs.  There are no waivers during the offseason, but trades are allowed once the season is completed.

Good luck this week guys...
Brian K

 
Players Costing Picks if the Season ended today

QB:  D McNabb, Crashers:  227
QB:  P Manning, Wizards, 222

RB:  L Tomlinson, CJWO:  282
RB:  L Johnson, Revenge:  241
RB:  S Jackson, Bull:  157
RB:  T Barber, Tekies:  134
RB:  R Johnson, Surfers:  131
RB:  M Barber, Criminals:  129

WR:  J Walker, Ruff Riders:  164
WR:  T Owens, Surfers:  163
WR:  R Williams, Crashers:  151
WR:  A Johnson, Tekies:  151
WR:  T Holt, Bull:  146
WR:  L Evans, Zookers, 131
WR:  T Glenn, Ruff Riders, 122

 
Week 11 Recap
Simpsons League Article - Week 11 Recap
Can NY CJWO ride LT to a Title?

News and Notes:  New feature on MFL is this league article business...I'll try and keep up with the recraps on here from now on...

The story of the league continues to be the NY CJWO.  7 straight games and a SGS Football Leagues best record of 9-1.  They are also by far the top scoring team in the league at this point...Last year's defending champs the Isotopes continue to roll as they have won 5 in a row and may be getting Shaun Alexander back soon...watch out for them...

If the playoffs ended today, here is where we would be at:

#1:  NY CJWO
#2:  Springfield Isotopes
#3:  Richmond Silver Surfers
#4:  Chili Crashers
#5:  Tekies
#6:  Wild Card Based on Total Points:  Bull 1983 (971 points)

I get asked this question almost every week...We did not vote out the "Franchise Tag" rule that was put in place two years ago.  There was discussion but it was never voted out, the only thing we did was clarified it a little better.  The players that are eligible for the franchise tag are players that did not have a contract in the previous year.  So if you look at your roster, in the contract column...anyone that says 2006 and only has a 1 year deal is eligible.  I went through the rosters and these players stood out to me as potential franchise players:

Matt Hasselbeck
Donald Driver
Michael Vick
Jerrico Cotchery
Mike Furrey
Michael Turner *I listed him as it would probably make a lot of sense for NY to franchise him to guarantee he has LT's handcuff next year.
Marques Colston

Remember that if you franchise a player, that they count the same with losing draft picks if they fall in the top group of players as any other player under contract.  So if the FFB Wizards franchise Colston and he's in the top 15 WR's at the end of the year, they will lose a pick for that.  Lots of decisions...

Playoff caliber teams should be starting to prepare their roster for the playoff run...Remember that we don't have ANY waivers in this league once the games start in Week 14.  This is an underrated part of the league that astute owners will be preparing for.  As for the rest of the teams, they are just trying to make sure they get to the playoffs. 

Good luck everyone this week!
Brian