PFFL 2008

2008 Draft

PFFL Past

PFBL 2008

Pittsburgh Franchise Football League
2008 News & Notes 

Week Nine

PFFL EAST

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. No Dean I'm not talking about the T Bones losing by a single point 115-114 to Justice this week. I'm talking about the T Bones being the only team in the East to clinch a postseason position. See how you always think the worst! But since you brought it up: The T Bones went into Monday night down 26 but with Portis and Ward remaining optimism had to be high! Portis did a decent job putting up 19 but Ward's 6 is what left the comeback short. The real culprit though was their QB Schaub getting hurt after scoring just 6 points. To be fair Justice left a pile of points on the bench and their best WR Brandon Marshall put up a mere 4 points. If Marshall puts up even an average effort Justice wins this one easy. But looking on the sunny side - which is asking a lot from the king of doom and gloom - the Bones remain in first 2VP ahead of second and are also the only team in the East with a letter designation in front of their name.

Last week a lineup decision cost the Rebels a win. It couldn't happen two weeks in a row could it? William don't worry, we'll just blame it on Jerry again! There's no shame in losing to the average because after all it has beaten six other teams in the East. The shame may be in how they lost 110-108 to the no-names. Last week leaving Matt Jones out of the lineup cost them the win so not wanting to make that same mistake they made sure they put him in this week. All well and good but when you put someone in someone has to come out. The decision to take out Ocho Stinko had the same result as leaving Jones out last week, another loss. Hind sight may be 20-20 but right now the Rebels forward sight seems to need bifocals. If you reverse the two decisions that cost them their last two games, they are in first 2VP ahead of second instead of second 2VP behind first. Maybe all the good luck the Rebels enjoyed in the first half has turned lately, but things could be a lot worse after two straight losses than being in second instead of first.

If given a choice I would rather be behind on Monday night and needing points than ahead and rooting against my opponent's points. It's the same concept why people like to bet over instead of under; it's just more enjoyable to root for points rather than against them. I don't know what Little Tommy prefers but I know he didn't enjoy watching IC Lightning overtake his Tommy Guns on Monday night 129-126 behind Chris Cooley's 15 points. And if you are going to lose it's best to lose early saving some aggravation but Cooley waited until late in the fourth quarter to drive the final nail. Like the Rebels the Guns fortunes have turned in the second half but also like the Rebels it hasn't effected their position in the standings as much as it could. Your luck isn't all bad when your in third place with a 2VP lead over fourth after three straight losses.

After a brief one-week stay in fourth in week 3, Little Johnny's is back for another visit in week 9. Their 116-100 victory over the Aggravators displaces Green Apple putting them out of the top tier for the first time this year. In their previous visit in week 3 they actually had a losing record but this time around their two-game winning streak has put them above .500 for the first time this year at 5-4. With just two weeks remaining in the regular season I'd say their timing couldn't be better for a revisit to the top section. And with the eighth-place team just 2VP behind, they better go to the whip if they want to remain here.
 

x = clinch top 2
y = clinch top 4
z = clinch wildcard

 

Rk	Franchise	PF
1	Justice	1129
2	Tommy Guns	1122
3	T Bones	1087
4	Cleantown	1071
5	Commish East	1059
6	Little Johnny's	1039
7	IC Lightning	1029
8	Rebels	1020
9	Boys of Autumn	994
10	Green Apple	978
11	Aggravators	866
	Average	1036

PFFL CENTRAL

Rebounding from a two-game losing streak, the Syndicate crushed the SS Stoggies 147-99 to regain the lead in the Central and clinch at no worse a wildcard. At 6VP ahead of fifth, for all intent and purpose they clinch a top four as well and at 4VP ahead of third, it will be awfully hard to displace them from the top two. Also their 96.7 week 9 efficiency rating has put them back in front of the JR's Boys as the league leader in coaching efficiency. Now I don't know if picking the right players each week makes you a genius, but some say in all genius there's also insanity, and to be honest Mickey's latest message board posts don't suggest intelligence, just insanity. Yeah Dean's posts in the East are mostly mean spirited insults, but at least I can comprehend what he is saying.  It could just be that the strain of attempting to win back-to-back championships and be the first team ever to win a second PFFL Championship in the 17-year history of the league is just too much for him to handle.

The Nasty Aggravators fell back in the VP column from 1 to 2VP behind the top spot. Ok that's it for the bad news because after that it's all good: They beat the Twisted Helmets 117-92 extending their winning streak to six games tying the JR's Boys for the longest win streak in the league; moved up from third into the top two to second dropping the Helmets back to third; earn a z designation along with the Syndicate insuring at least a wildcard birth; stretched their lead over fifth from 3 to 4VP; got their #2 RB Willie Parker back from injury; earned their seventh win tying the Downtowners for most wins in the league; and hit the power ball for $106,000,000.00. We're all very happy for you Mitch but now that you have some extra cash how about a small donation to my favorite charity: The Mental Wellness Association for Fantasy Football Commissioners.

A win givith and a loss takith away. Last week a win gave the Twisted Helmets first and this week a loss takes it off of them. The Helmets have been in first or second place since week 3 but their 117-92 loss to the Nasty Aggravators has dropped them to third. The problem is with so many owners who do you blame for the loss: Wade; Or maybe Chris; Could it be Tom; Did Mark put in a bad lineup? Was Kevin busy voting for you know who instead of studying the match ups. The truth is while the Aggravators were at full strength for the first time in a while, the Helmets were actually playing at a disadvantage. Playing without your two highest scorers because of a bye while your opponent is at full strength is hard to overcome and the Helmets didn't. And having your third-highest scorer Brandon Marshall come up small (4 points) sealed the deal. I know if Kevin was writing this though he would insist on laying blame somewhere so lets blame it on the last eight years of the Republican administration. Because we won't be able to for much longer!

A week 4 loss knocked the Weekend Warriors out of the top tier and it took them until now to finally find their way back. In life it's who you know but in fantasy football head to head competition it's who you play that week. Scoring 101 points won't win you many games but they had the right opponent this week in TnT who could only manage 85. The Warriors left some points on the bench but also on their bench were some key players on a bye. It would be nice if every team could always be at full strength but between byes and injuries the luck factor will always play prominent. The Helmets couldn't overcome their top players on a bye and lost the top spot. The team the Warriors replace in the top tier the Knockout Kings had to play without Romo and Reggie Bush because of injury and lost the top tier. Those that can overcome the byes will earn the byes!
 

x = clinch top 2
y = clinch top 4
z = clinch wildcard

 

Rk	Franchise	PF
1	Syndicate	1191
2	Knockout Kings	1102
3	Twisted Helmets	1101
4	Weekend Warriors	1060
5	Harmony Hornets	1058
6	SS Stoggies	1055
7	Nasty Aggravators	1046
8	Steve Irwin Crocodile's	1008
9	R&J Inc.	960
10	Reno	943
11	TnT	915
	Average	1040

PFFL WEST

Laying blame for losses is just part of fantasy football. Byes, injuries and lineup decisions are usually the main reasons for blame or should we call them excuses. The Downtowners have no excuses for their 133-106 defeat at the hands of the JR's Boys but they can take no blame either. They had no injuries or byes of consequence and made no bad lineup decisions. Their players just scored less than their opponents. It didn't cost them the top spot and it didn't keep them from clinching at least a top four spot. But what it did cost them is their cushion over second. Their six-game reign at the top of the West Conference is now in jeopardy. A once 5VP lead is now down to just one and even third and fourth are now in range at 3VP behind. But no other first-place team could have lost to the second-place team this week and remain in first. And they are one of only two teams that are guaranteed a bye with two games to go.

If the Downtowners took a step backwards this week the JR's Boys took a leap forward with their sixth-straight win. On paper the Downtowners looked like the better team going into the game but this game isn't played on paper. Wait. It actually is played on paper, but the players at least play on the field. The Boys dismantled the top team in the league going into week 9 and did it with Steve Smith on a bye. Even though they lost the league lead to the Syndicate for coaching efficiency, they put up a more than respectable 92.4 in their win. They and the Syndicate are the only two teams in the league with a rating higher than 90%. Since coaching efficiency is determined by picking your best lineup to play, you have to believe it has something to do with your success also. How many times do we mention how a team could have won with a different lineup. The right decision making has helped the Boy's to one of only two y designations in the league.

It's hard enough winning your game with your #1 draft pick on a bye, so when the Rounder 17 not only won their game with Frank Gore sitting out but also took Team of the Week Honors, you have to be impressed. They have spent the entire year between third and fifth place in the West standings but their total points suggest they should be even higher. They are second in points to the Downtowners in the West but third overall league wide. The entire West top four has clinched a playoff spot but only seven total teams in the league have clinched a spot. Last week I stated it was a reach they earn the #1 rank but between their impressive win this week and the Downtowners loss, they are now within reach at 3VP out with two to play. They officially have only clinched a wildcard but with a 6VP lead over fifth, it's a reach they don't get at least one bye.

When you can score 99 points and earn 3VP, you got away with one. And when your opponent scores just 77, that's why you got away with one. Commish West's 99-77 victory over the Apaches earned them an all important z designation insuring them a playoff ranking. The 6VP edge over fifth doesn't guarantee it but makes a bye also likely. And the 3VP behind the top spot even puts that back in play. In all fairness it was the lowest scoring week of the year with a 109.3 average and with Rivers on a bye they were forced to use Roethlisberger who yielded them just 8 points. Am I trying to justify earning 3VP off just 99 points? Well let's just say I'm not giving any of them back and see you in the playoffs!
 

x = clinch top 2
y = clinch top 4
z = clinch wildcard

 

Rk	Franchise	PF
1	Downtowners	1160
2	Rounder 17	1141
3	JR's Boys	1125
4	MNE	1093
5	Commish West	1075
6	Irish Talbots	1014
7	French River	994
8	Brookline	992
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