Week Thirteen Power Rankings

R.I.P. Sean Taylor

Wow, being an editor is much easier than being a writer! Sit around, wait for the article to come in, tell the author its crap, that my dog could do better, yadda, yadda, yadda. Well, not this week's author, they did a good job, then again so did Jason and Jeremiah, I just had to wait for Jeremiah's cat to get done with feeding time before I could see the article!

Anyway, you guessed it, another guest blogger this week! And who better to handle this week's duties than the owner of the newly surging Green Helmets, Andy Untiedt. The Helmets have put together a nice two game winning streak, including an upset victory over the top ranked Short Bus Bullies last week, that some say was fueled by the presence of their number one fan, John Heder, on the sidelines for the game.

# 1 Short Bus Bullies – The Bullies have set a new league record! …Most waiver wire moves in a single season. Hey, whatever works I guess. The Short Bus Bullies are still the favorites to win the cup this year even after the close loss to the Helmets, a game they probably should have won if not for some questionable starts (Arizona D?). The Bullies will almost certainly enter the playoff weeks with a first round bye and look to be untouchable the rest of the season. The only questions left to be answered for the Bullies are who will face them in the Super Bowl, and how many more waiver wire moves can they possibly make.

#2 Annandale Pumas – The Pumas take back the #2 spot after they pulled off a close one last week in a low scoring affair with SxC. It looks as if they will be able to hold on to the top seed going into the playoffs after the Short Bus Bullies’ loss. However, in order to win it all this year, the Pumas will have to overcome some tough match-ups in week 17. Manning and the Colts will surely be looking for revenge against the Texans and Titans after the late-season upsets of last year, so don’t expect superstars Manning and Addai to be benched in these crucial playoff games.

#3 Sixteen in the Clip – SxC looked like they had a good shot going into Monday night against the Pumas, but unfortunately for them the rain washed away all the lines on the field along with their chances at winning week 12. It looks as if Sixteen in the Clip could still have a strong playoff run and eek out a top three finish this year. Their top player, All Day Adrian Peterson comes back this week which should ensure that they will not have any repeats of last week’s sad performance. Their game this week against the Red Dogs will be a huge test between the third and fourth ranked teams.

#4 Centreville Red Dogs – Well, in the year of Tom Brady, any team with the pretty-boy QB is likely an automatic playoff contender. The Red Dogs could have women’s basketball players filling out the rest of their roster and still make the playoffs. Mastermind Bill Belichick seems to be out to prove a point this season, so it is doubtful that Brady will take a seat to minimum-wage making back-up Matt Cassel anytime. Brady…er the Red Dogs face Sixteen in the Clip this week in what will likely determine the third seed going into the playoff weeks as both teams should coast through week 14.

#5 The Rocky Runners – The Runners lose running back Cedric Benson for the rest of the season. For most fantasy teams with Benson, this loss is probably a blessing in disguise as he has been terrible this year. However, as of yet the Runners have made no move to replace the wounded bear. It looks as if their best option for a replacement running back for the last weeks of the season is old man Fred Taylor, who will probably be sore for a month after last weeks outing. The Runners really need to make some moves and pick up some waiver wire fliers this week or they could see themselves plummeting from the playoff picture.

#6 The Black Hand – With most of the league shrouded in mediocrity, and the Sunshine and Rocky Runners in a downward spiral, it’s safe to say that the Black Hand will likely be a contender in the playoffs this year. Look for the Hand to put up a lot of points in the next weeks against the Amish and the Rocky Runners with a lot of players that are sure to be involved in shootout games. The Hand are no stranger to upset victories and could go as far as landing a surprise spot in the Super Bowl.

#7 The Angry Amish – The Amish made a good move early to salvage what could have been a disastrous season in picking up QB Derek Anderson. Like Good Sport, the Amish have been plagued by inconsistent or underperforming (overrated?) studs such as Larry Johnson and the Algenon Crumpler. The Amish still have a very real shot at squeaking into the playoffs despite having scored the least number of points. This weeks matchup against the Black Hand is a must win for the livid luddites.

#8 Annandale Sunshine – Tough beat for the Sunshine who put up a whopping 127 points, but played the only team to score more. It looks like the Sunshine are going to have to pull out at least one win in the next two weeks, which is not a gimmie by any means facing two top ranked teams in the Pumas and the Red Dogs. The Sunshine’s surging start has ebbed in the latter weeks of the season due to a bad schedule, bad luck and inconsistent, verging on bad players. The Sunshine are certainly still contenders for at least the playoffs, but the loss to Good Sport last week just may be a portent of things to come, and I wouldn’t hold my breath.

#9 Good Sport – Good Sport raised a dispute as to why they shouldn’t be ignored last week, putting up 145 points! Devin Hester finally earned his spot in the Sport’s lineup, returning two kicks for points. If only return yards counted for points… In fact, everybody in Good Sport’s lineup went ridiculous last week; even backup QB Jay Cutler scored 21 points. Just goes to show that the bottom of the barrel teams still have got a lot of fight in them and cannot be overlooked as the last weeks of the season approach. Well, the last week of the season anyway as GS play the Helmets this week in the battle for last.

#10 Green Helmets – Give up? Never! Too little too late for the Helmets, who finally have a healthy team. Written off as scrubs, the Helmets still managed to make an impact on the league with an upset victory over the top-ranked Bullies, and it would only be fair to share the bitter taste of defeat with the Pumas in week 14. If nothing else, look for the Helmets to have a strong finish going into next season, possibly even managing to outscore half of the league while still coming in last place.

Week 12 Power Rankings

Again, I'm a slacker.

I suck. I don't write the power rankings enough. I know, I know. But in all honesty, its hard to find time to be this good and write about it too! So, seeing as how tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I've decided to let our resident turkey try his hand at writing. As a perennial playoff team, and last years Vandelay Cup winner, the Annandale Pumas look even nastier this year with the likes of Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Joesph Addai and Peyton Manning in their lineup, but how are they at writing? You be the judge:

With our fearless commish being so busy with his birthday and eating, he’s had no time to write up a power ranking for this week. So once again, someone is going to have to pick up his unending amount of slack and write it for him. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw…

#1 Short Bus Bullies* – The Bullies are the obvious pick at number one. They have the easiest schedule of anyone the rest of the way out playing The Green Helmets, The Rocky Runners, and Good Sport who have combined for a 9-24 record (six of those wins coming from The Rocky Runners). I see them going 3-0 over this final stretch with only the Runners providing any kind of threat. This will give the Bullies a #1 seed and a bye week going into the playoffs. This makes them a scary threat in the playoffs as none of their players look as if they’ll be rested in the final weeks of the season. Combine that with the fact that they already have the league’s highest point total by a comfortable margin and you can expect to see the Bullies bringing home one of the four payouts at the end of the year. That is as long as their reliance on Cincinnati Bengals doesn't get them locked up. But they should have even more time to focus on their team now that the trade deadline has forced them to stop offering ridiculous trades.

#2 Sixteen in the Clip** – The first real surprise in the rankings comes early at the number two spot. This is NOT me feeding my team the Bill Belichick “humble pie.” At this late point in the season we have to look at what teams have the best shot at winning the Super Bowl. Although the Pumas are perhaps the most stacked team at the moment, they are facing the benching of their four best players late in the season (Moss, Owens, Manning, and Addai). With these four out, they would no longer be favorites to win any game. However, Sixteen in the Clip is riding a three-game win streak and they have won those games decisively. It looks like no one in their starting lineup is going to be benched and Adrian Peterson, the Nate Dogg to their G Child, looks like he’ll be back for the playoffs. That makes for a scary Super Bowl contender. This is the only good news the better half of this team will get though as her Cavaliers are headed for a blowout loss. This loss is easy to argue when your bow tie is too tight and you've had lots of Zima at a pregame party, but we all know UVA is where it is "bright and gay," not where you win football games.

#3 Annandale Pumas* – Although the Pumas may be hurting when they get into the playoffs, they still get the number three slot because of all their top tier talent. Their top two receivers, Moss and Owens, have been sick recently and now are the number 2 and number 4 point-getters in fantasy this year. Combine with that Peyton Manning and Joseph Addai and it becomes a guarantee that one of them blows up on any given week. The real problem is as mentioned above: when do these guys get rested for the playoffs? If this happens early, expect the Pumas to fold like a lawn chair.

#4 Centreville Red Dogs** – Let the Dogs start their whimpering now, but the stats don’t lie. Almost 26% of the points they’ve scored this year have come on the arm of Tom “Super-Model Baby Daddy” Brady. Although Belichick isn’t likely to bench this monster, all of those points hinging on one player makes me nervous. Besides, have you seen what Brady does to goats? Let’s just say Moss isn’t the only one he’s telling to go deep. Don't be surprised if Brady's play falls off because he has to get a second job to support his goat children. Plus, with Santonio Holmes going out for at least a game or two, is anyone scared of the rest of the Red Dogs? They shouldn’t be because he’s another 10% of their point scoring this year. Oh, and don’t forget his defense faces one of the toughest schedules in the NFL to close out the year.

#5 Rocky Runners*** - The Runners should feel comfortable in this number five slot, but they need to do some real work to get the depth necessary to jump up in to the top four. They need to move people like Vernand Morency, Sammy "IR" Morris, and Chad "No Arm" Pennington off their team to get some people who have a chance at contributing. Otherwise their team may end up looking like Pennington usually does. The playoffs will be unforgiving to a team with little depth. However, the Rocky Runners do have some serious WR talent and a solid QB. If they can bolster these players with some depth from the free agent pool, they will significantly improve their chances of making a run deep in the playoffs.

#6 Annandale Sunshine*** - Although the Sunshine's smack talk is true (they do play the best teams twice and have the hardest schedule), quit your whining! Beating the best teams is how you win the Super Bowl! However, I don't think the Sunshine is going to be able to do that and finish out 3-0. I see them losing two of their last three to leave a window open for the Angry Amish or Black Hand to steal their spot. Inconsistent quarterback play has plagued them all year and with Shaun Alexander, Marion Barber, Derrick Ward, and Lendale White, nobody is scared of their team. They did get Andre Johnson back last week and he immediately contributed and if Lendale White could stop eating long enough to live up to his potential, the Sunshine could make a late run at the title.

#7 Angry Amish**** - The Angry Amish have the best chance to upset the rankings and steal a playoff spot. They must win out to have a true shot at doing this and if they get Marshawn Lynch and Larry Johnson back, they just may. However, even if they get Clinton Portis to disguise their chances the rest of the season, I'm not going to be fooled. The Amish are a longshot to make the playoffs and I don't think its going to happen. The team is not healthy enough at RB and lacks the star power at WR. The good news is they have some real talent to bring in to next year and if their draft class is as intelligent as it was this year, they'll be near the top of the rankings all season long.

#8 Black Hand**** - Having to go up against the Brady-led Red Dog's this week is going to make the Hand feel like they're at Virginia Tech move-in again saying "NO! I'm lost!" That loss to the Red Dogs combined with the fall off of Chad Johnson and Braylon Edwards (neither one has gone for over 10 points since Week 8), has dropped the Hand down this low. Although Tony Romo is trying, I can't see the Hand turning things around and stealing a playoff spot. Not even Ocho Cinco's grill can make the rest of this season look bright.

#9 Green Helmets***** - THE HELMETS WIN!!! THE HELMETS WIN!!! Wait, do they want to win? The Green Helmets may enjoy their role as a spoiler but they should think about playing for that draft pick next year. They made a good move for a keeper for next year in Steve Smith, but what kind of player are they getting in Smith? He hasn't even had a DECENT second half production and let's just say he's not the best teammate. Either way, the Helmets will have a good core group of players going in to next year and with a high draft pick will be able to rebound from this "rebuilding" season. However, they will once again be looking for a quarterback unless they want to stick with this guy.

#10 Good Sport***** – Oh, how the mighty have fallen. From playing in the Super Bowl last year to a team that is playing for the number one draft pick this year, this team has really taken a U-turn into the toilet. The brightest spot on this team has come from its owner's head reflecting light. No seriously, this team had potential and was well-constructed, but poor luck has left this team in the cellar. The only thing they can do is play for the highest draft pick, and with their start of Philly's D against the Pats, that's right where they'll be. Expect to see a lot of this out of the Eagles on Sunday.

And not to leave myself out, I think you all should see Peyton "Goodie-Goodie" Manning's true personality.


* - already clinched a playoff spot
** - can clinch a playoff spot with a win
*** - can clinch a playoff spot with a win AND a Black Hand and Angry Amish loss
**** - still have a chance to make playoffs but face must-win situations
***** - chumps who are playing for draft spots next year

Week 10 Power Rankings

Welcome back my friends....to the show that never ends, come inside...oh you know the rest. I do apologize for the lack of blogs lately, but unfortunately I just haven't had the time to write, so I give you the guest writer of the week: Jason 'Mavis' Hanna, owner of this year's expansion (and currently first place) Short Bus Bullies!

Mavis earned his nickname (one of many including: Freshman, Kobe, Subway etc) from a male beauty pageant in high school. Mavis was her name on stage. Winning the swimsuit competition that year, Mavis went on to compete in the transvestite Miss Confused America and modeled for several GLBT magazines, until like so many in his/her profession, he fell victim to bulimia and cocaine abuse.

Now, with his appetite restored, eating two foot long Subway chicken subs per meal, Mavis is becoming the Happy Gilmore of our league. The goofy guy no one took too seriously, but is promising us all that he's going to get Granny's house back with the Vandelay Cup winnings this year. So, without further ado (yeah, that pun was for you Jason), I give you the only man I have ever thrown piss on!

1. The easy pick, short bus bullies, are not going to be our number 1 team, but why? Because the Annandale Pumas are by far the best team right now. That's because of his wicked cast of pro-bowlers who can't seem to do anything but score. After the sad letdown in week 8 against the pound puppies, the Pumas look to run out the rest of the schedule. Thanks in part to the Patriots and Colts race for home field advantage in the playoffs. His stars will continue to shine, and he won't have to lift an eyebrow until after his playoff bye.
2. The Short Bus Bullies limp in to the 2 hole after 3 tough battles in a row, only to see more danger ahead. However, with their recent luck and a very deep roster, they have put themselves into the fight for a coveted playoff bye. The biggest threat until the playoffs is their Cincinnati stock pile of players. Now that some of his key players are out of playoff contention, it's possible they'll let off the gas. That will all of a sudden take the bullies from a front-runner to first round playoff underdogs.
3. Centerville Red Dogs could have easily been your number 2 this week, maybe even number 1. NOPE. While Santonio Holmes looked like Josh at the buffet("All day baby!") or Mavis at the Subway. Willie Parker laid down a dump only fitting for the shit baron (stupid inside joke) costing the Red Dogs the match and the props. The future looks shaky for our resident hero facing quality teams and potential upsets the rest of the year. No matter how it pans out for them, its going to be fun to watch.
4. Three teams have a right to claim this spot. But it goes to only the Annandale Sunshine. Don't be fooled, this is the highest they will be the rest of the year because of the same old song. Just as the clouds were parting, Andre Johnson and the revamped Drew Brees were about to save the day, Shaun Alexander, Derrick Ward, and Donovan McNabb all get hurt or play as bad as if they were. Not good! She's up against the number 1,2,& 3 teams in the league over the next 5 weeks. A big win in one of those games or a big trade, drastically improves her chances to go deep into the playoffs.
5. It's an outrage! It can't be right! The runners are not 4th or 5th! Sixteen in the Clip knew they had a good running back but noone predicted he would be a goldmine. Lets all golf clap for Adrian Peterson, the new NFL single game rushing yardage record holder at 296 yards. As a rookie, unreal, with 2 games over 200 yards, also a record for rookies. Here it is, remember where you heard it, he won't get less than 18 fantasy points for the rest of the year. With a cast and crew of players fighting for real playoff position, big numbers are in the forecast for this sleeper pick to make at least the 2nd round of the playoffs. I know I don't want to face them again.
6. It may not have been easy, but it was necessary. The Rocky Runners are our number 6. Unfortunately, with a record that is currently tied for 2nd, there's a nonstop list of teams that score like they were owned by Bill Belichick. Hines Ward, Tony Gonzalez, and Carson Palmer will have to consistently put of big numbers because the other stars have taken back seats.
• Sammy Morris - hurt
• Bobby Engram= Deion Branch+DJ Hackett
• Chris Chambers goes to new team, and drops to 3rd or 4th option.
• The runners still have a chance to make the second round of the playoffs especially if they make some quick power moves. Such as Cedric"I don't know whats wrong"Benson and injured Sammy Morris and pick up Anthony Gonzalez ( because of Marvin Harrison's long term knee problem) and another prospect that may produce in the playoffs.
7. Black Hand, the question? Why? Let me tell you why Its your Redskin players they are terrible on offense! Keep the tight end and bench El for next years keepers, then dump the other to garbage players. Then go to the waiver wire and pick up Nate Burleson he has emerged into a point producing kick return 3rd option receiver he will put up point with the Seahawks average defense the offense will produce and make the playoffs. Then you also need to pick up a prospect to score NOW you need to put up points these last few weeks to make it to then land of milk and honey. If not, its all good there you can fight for first draft pick to get McFadden.
8. In week 6, The Angry Amish is about to be all but out of this years race, but then out of nowhere lead in scoring by his kicker, upsets one of the best teams to let hope live on. After taking three of the last four the Amish are on the outside looking in staring at two top tier teams in as many weeks. For this to even be possible the Amish need one of those games to stay in the hunt.
9. Good Sport invested into great running backs who ended his season before it even started. Now that LT woke up hes already out of it drop a scrub and grab Mike Vick for next year!
10. Its just wrong! Green Helmets, how do I start?. I took the time to plug his point totals into everyone’s schedule and in some cases he would have 3-4 wins in all cases he had 1 win at least. Their first pick Calvin Johnson was supposed to be the rookie of the year, hurt and hindered; superstar Anquan Boldin hurt and hampered; superstar Steven Jackson hurt and hindered; Vernon Davis also looks to have missed games. Its been one bad beat after another but you have a sick list of keeper players for next year right?!

Week Seven Power Rankings

Back in the saddle again....I'm back. I know you all missed me something horrible, but I just had no desire to write last week, and since I don't get paid to do this who cares? :) Anyhow, looking forward I don't see how anyone can say the Short Bus Bullies aren't the clear cut number one. Interestingly enough, as we near the season's midpoint I think the actual standings are almost 100 percent the same as the power rankings, with one minor difference. Let's lay it out:

1. Short Bus Bullies - There's no arguing it. With a 5 game winning streak and some of the biggest scorers in the game, the Bullies are tough. But with Gates and Steve Smith on the bench, they could be vulnerable to the Pumas potent attack this week. Of course, this team is the luckiest in the league, winning several games now thanks to good Monday night performances.
   
2. Annandale Pumas - Riding a four game winning streak going into the showdown for number one against the Bullies the Pumas are bringing Manning, TO, Randy Moss, Joesph Addai and Ronnie Brown to the fight this week. If they all have a normal game (for them) then the Pumas will have a good shot at going back into first.
   
3. Rocky Runners - Moving into number three, the Runners look strong coming into a very winnable game this week against the Sunshine. Rumors persist of a Shockey for Rudi Johnson trade with the Red Dogs, but apparently ownership quarrels are preventing this deal from getting done.
   
4. Centreville Red Dogs - The Red Dogs are looking solid with their MoJo finally having put together a nice couple games and Reggie Bush stepping up to be a true number one back for the Saints. With Marvin Harrison hopefully back this week and Plaxico 'All I Do Is Catch Touchdowns' Burress at the WR, and the #1 fantasy scorer so far this year in Tom Brady (160 points, next closest Randy Moss with 136) they Dogs are only a tight end away from being a bad ass.
   
5. Annandale Sunshine - It's a mystery to me how the Sunshine haven't lost more games with their poor luck at QB, and how in the h - e - double hockey sticks is Brees is projected for 14 points this week when he's only scored 18 all season??. QB and RB are the weak points here. If they get good games from those positions then they have a shot to win and move up this week.
   
6. Black Hand - Still one of the pleasant surprises this year, it's just too bad the ownership can't get past being a homer long enough to sit Randle-El. If they had started Braylon Edwards last week instead of Randle-El, the Hand would have knocked off the number one Bullies, and would probably be in the top three. I also have to question the thought process in carrying two kickers? Should be a good matchup with SxC this week.
   
7. Sixteen In The Clip - The other pleasant surprise this year, SxC, who I predicted would be lucky to win a game is looking like a solid shot for the playoffs. Their game this week versus the Black Hand could be the match up for the last playoff spot considering the records of the teams behind them.
   
8. Space for Rent - The Spacers really need to start winning to have a shot at the playoffs. It's not too often you hear the name LaDainian Tomlinson and missed the playoffs in the same breath. Could the Spacers owner/coach be the Norv Turner of our league?
   
9. Angry Amish - YEAH! Great win last week for the Amish against the Sunshine and facing the Helmets this week they have a good shot to run the win streak to two games. Except that Phillip Rivers, Donald Driver and Derek Anderson are all on bye, and as of yet the league hasn't gotten any reports that management realizes this. Somebody in the Amish's front office needs to wake up!
   
10. Green Helmets - Officially the unluckiest team in the VIFFL, this week is the Helmets best chance for a win so far this season. They look stacked against the Amish....somebody better tell them to bring a camera for backup.
    

Week Six Power Rankings

Week six already? Well, guess what? I'm taking this week off. Post your comments on who YOU think belongs where.

Week Five Power Rankings

Week 5 Power Rankings

Last week really started to shake things out, and gave us a real idea of who might be in the playoffs this year. Injuries and match-ups the story behind this week’s power rankings. Questions to ponder for Week 5:

· Will our two winless teams get a victory finally?

· How will the major injuries this week fare for our teams?

· Will the owner of SBB ever get a life and stop working the damn waiver wire?

· Will the Commish ever get a life and stop blogging?

· Will the Black Hand finally get some respect? (….here’s a clue, the answer is NO.)

1) Short Bus Bullies

a. Obvious #1 at this point, but they have four players going against top tier defenses this week. Given the owner's waiver wire work (and lack of a life) they could stay strong this week though.

2) Centreville Red Dogs

a. Who? What? Why? Simple. The Red Dogs have better match-ups this week than the Pumas, and they've already beaten the Hand. Don't look for this to last though.

3) Annandale Pumas

a. Amazing talent on one team, but with poor matchups for Week 5 and lack of a good option for the Flex W/T spot its hard to give them much higher than third. (Yes, I know its Peyton Manning, but Tampa Bay has the #5 overall defense in the NFL right now, and some are sniffing an upset!)

4) Black Hand

a. Yes, they do have some amazing stats so far, but realize this: Tony Romo is the only guy left in his lineup this week that can really produce and some key players are running up against some good defenses this week.

5) Annandale Sunshine

a. The only big scorer in the Sunshine’s lineup this week is Reggie Wayne. The Sunshine, who looked strong at QB to start the season are desperately seeking someone to throw the ball for them.

6) Sixteen In The Clip

a. SxC has some good match-ups this week, but I would personally start Schaub over Roethlisberger this week.

7) Rocky Runners

a. With a loss, Carson Palmer and Hines Ward out this week and still no good answer to replace Cedric ‘I can’t run the ball all by myself’ Benson, the Runners look beatable this week against the Hand

8) Space For Rent

a. A rebound week for the Space Cadets last week could signal the beginning of a playoff run. With the addition of Farve at QB and LT looking alive, the Spacers could be moving up this time next week. Them versus SBB could be the match-up of the week!

9) Green Helmets

a. Please, please, PLEASE get a win! They’ve been SO close. The poor helmets can’t buy a break. Injuries (See Cadillac, Stephen Jackson and Lamont Jordan) have decimated the Helmets this year. Look for the Helmets to go to 0-5 this week.

10) Angry Amish

a. The Amish’s lineup just looks weak. When you start Joey Harrington at QB, its desperate times. Sounds like the Amish need to make a trade for someone at the QB, and soon.

Week Four Power Rankings

Three weeks in and only one team remains unblemished. This will be the fourth week in a row that a team from Annandale will top our weekly power rankings. Will they be able to hold on to the top spot this week in the battle of the Annandale teams or will the new second place team, the Short Bus Bullies move up in next weeks power poll? Who cares? :) Let's move on to this week's rankings.

1. Annandale Sunshine - Yup. Still undefeated. Still number one. But for how long? The Sunshine looks quite beatable this week, and the Pumas look poised to strike. Look for a new number one next week.
   
2. Short Bus Bullies - Ok. I said last week, score 150+ and they'd move up. Well, good lord they did and they've shot up into number two! I am however skeptical of their starting lineup this week, and think they could vulnerable to the Runners who've made some moves to improve themselves this week.
3. Rocky Runners - Moving into number three, the Runners look strong after making some moves to improve themselves at wide receiver and rumors of a trade for a running back in the works. Look for the runners to beat the Bullies this week in a close game.
   
4. Annandale Pumas - The Pumas rebounded nicely from the loss to the Hand in week two with a close win over Sixteen In The Clip in week three. A solid enough win to move them into the four spot this week.
   
5. Black Hand - Dropping two spots this week after having their first loss handed to them by the Red Dogs, the Hand draw the Amish this week. Look for a close game here, considering Hand's big names are running into some big time defenses.
6. Sixteen In The Clip - How the mighty have fallen. A loss last week to the Pumas and the soon to be decreased reps for ADP combined with what already looks like a weak lineup could be disastrous for the Clip against the giant killing Red Dogs.
   
7. Centreville Red Dogs - Was the win against the Hand a fluke or have the Dogs started coming into their own? They made a crafty move to steal away the currently under-performing Lee Evans away from the bottom feeding Space for Rent so they could be on the road to improvement, but still don't expect a lot from them yet, especially with Rudi Johnson out on Sunday.
   
8. Green Helmets - Another week, another loss for the Helmets. Facing Space for Rent this week, they may have a shot to pull off their first win, but only if Boldin can go this Sunday. Otherwise look for the Helmets to drop to 0-4.
   
9. Angry Amish - The Amish only lost by 2 points last week facing the third ranked Runners. This week they draw the ire of the Black Hand. Don't look for much here, considering they have to start Brandon Stokley at wideout.
   
10. Space for Rent - Anyone who has Frank Gore, LT and Marc Bulger on their team, and has a good shot to drop to 0-4 deserves the basement slot. Win a game this week, and they'll move up....but not much.
    

League Parity And The Great Running Back Hype

Parity. Interesting word. It's often used to describe the NFL. Webster defines the word parity as the quality or state of being equal or equivalent. It neatly sums up our league three weeks into the season as well. Six of the ten teams are sitting at 2-1. Three of those six teams are completely deadlocked with 319 points and the difference between fourth and seventh place is eight points. Only The Sunshine is left standing undefeated, and they're truly lucky to be in that spot (see last week's record low scoring matchup vs. Space for rent). Even our three winless teams could all have a win or two on the books.

It's interesting to note, that in the world of fantasy football, where the running back is king, that the three teams in our league without a win had four of the top five ranked running backs coming into the season. The Green Helmets have Stephen Jackson, the Amish have Larry Johnson and Space for rent doesn't have just one, but two in Frank Gore and LaDainian Tomlinson and is currently the lowest scorer in the league!

On the other hand, our top teams are making the difference in their games, not through their running backs, but from the wide receiver slot. You call BS? Check these numerals:

	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
Black Hand	Chad Johnson - 15 pts, Amani Toomer - 13 pts	Chad Johnson - 38 pts, Braylon Edwards - 32 pts	Chad Johnson - 20 pts, Braylon Edwards - 14 pts
	28 pts	70 pts	34 pts	132
Short Bus Bullies	Steve Smith - 25 pts, T.J. Houshmanzadeh - 17 pts	Steve Smith - 38 pts, T.J. Houshmanzadeh - 23 pts	T.J. Houshmanzadeh - 28 pts, Deion Branch - 15 pts
	42 pts	61 pts	43 pts	146
Annandale Sunshine	Reggie Wayne - 27 pts, Andre Johnson - 23 pts	Andre Johnson - 30 pts, Issac Bruce - 20 pts	Reggie Wayne - 8 pts, Issac Bruce - 3 pts
	50 pts	50 pts	11 pts	111
	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
Green Helmets	Maurice Jones-Drew - 3 pts, Stephen Jackson - (-1) pts	Maurice Jones-Drew - 2 pts, Stephen Jackson - 7 pts	LaMont Jordan - 15 pts, Stephen Jackson - 9 pts
	2 pts	9 pts	24 pts	35
Angry Amish	Larry Johnson - 11 pts, Marshawn Lynch - 12 pts	Larry Johnson - 6 pts, Marshawn Lynch - 5 pts	Larry Johnson - 3 pts, Marshawn Lynch - 11 pts
	23 pts	11 pts	14 pts	48
Space For Rent	LaDainian Tomlinson - 22 pts, Frank Gore - 10 pts	LaDainian Tomlinson - 6 pts, Frank Gore - 18 pts	LaDainian Tomlinson - 13 pts, Frank Gore - 3 pts
	32 pt	24 pts	16 pts	72

Numbers don't lie. The Bullies top scoring WR's over the last three weeks have scored over half of what Space For Rent's entire team has scored for the past three weeks. So does this mean that the top running backs are having a down year? Kind of, but thats not the real issue. The real key is that the VFFL scoring system is slanted in the favor of wide receivers! (and anyone else who catches the ball regularly) For instance, did you know that every reception is worth 1 fantasy point? That could easily be up to seven to eight extra points a game from your wide outs alone! Figure in the high percentage tight end receptions and teams could be picking up some real extra points easily!

Of course this doesn't mean that the winless teams are screwed and its time for a running back fire sale. Its still early in the year and the wide receivers can't keep blowing up and the running backs can't keep laying an egg....can they?

Week Three Power Rankings

With two weeks in the books, the VIFFL season has been a surprising one to date, and accordingly people are making hectic roster moves to try and get themselves in a better place. This week's power rankings have a lot of movement in them, including a new number one, and a little respect for some 2-0 teams that most thought would be 0-2. So, let's get to it (and let the hate mail roll!)

1. Annandale Sunshine - There's a new top dog in town this week, but it's still a team from Annandale. The good news? They've done it without hardly ANY production from the QB spot, where they actually have the most depth (Brees and McNabb). The bad news? Andre Johnson won't put up 30 this week (out to a sprained knee), and may not play for another five weeks. They've got Space For Rent this week, which will be closer than the records indicate.
2. Sixteen In The Clip - With a revitalized Rothelisberger at the helm, Roy Williams reaping the benefits of a Mike Martz offense, Marques Colston picking up where he left off last year and some nice showings from rookie Adrian Peterson and Willis McGahee looking good, SxC is looking like a world beater right now. Oh yeah, they've got Matt Schaub on the bench too. Look for them to go to 3-0 against the Pumas this week.
3. Black Hand - Up into the third spot comes a team that gets no respect and seems to be punishing their opponents for it. The combination of Tony Romo, Chad Johnson and Braylon Edwards has been spectacular for the Hand, but could be less productive in the coming weeks (see this week's earlier post for my analysis). If Romo carves up the Bears, look for the Black Hand to go 3-0, otherwise the Red Dogs just might hand them their first loss this year.
4. Rocky Runners - Holding steady in the four spot, the Runners are one of the few teams who didn't change positions this week. With a dominating victory over the Red Dogs in last week's Household Bowl the Runners are continuing their quest for back to back playoff appearances. Drawing the Amish this week should give them a chance to land their second win.
   
5. Annandale Pumas - The loss to the upstart Black Hand last week plummeted the Pumas down to the fifth spot in the power rankings, but they still have a ton of firepower in their starting lineup. But with L.J. Smith out for this week at a minimum (with no serviceable backup) and SxC's lineup drawing the better match ups this week, don't be surprised to see the Pumas lose two in a row.
6. Short Bus Bullies - Another drop for the bullies? But they won last week! They scored 156 points last week! Yeah, but ya know what? I still think the Pumas are a better team. And their only win is against a weak Amish team. Give me another week like that and they'll shoot up.
7. Centreville Red Dogs - A loss this week to the Runners showed that the Red Dogs still aren't playoff ready, and could get killed this week by the Hand.
8. Space for Rent - Easily an 0-2 team almost all of us would take any day. How can someone have Marc Bulger, LT and Frank Gore and still lose? Who knows but the Sunshine want them to do it again!
9. Green Helmets - A playoff team a year ago, 0-2 now and it looks like they've already started the rebuilding for next year. They offloaded MoJo Drew to the Red Dogs for Cadillac Williams and have been hitting the free agent pile almost everyday. Can they still save this year? Possibly. Will they? Probably not. They've got a HARD schedule, and could possibly be 0-5 before they pick up their first win.
10. Angry Amish - The Amish should be better than this. And they could win this week. It would be a huge coup if they upset the highly favored Runners. Look for Larry Johnson to finally have the 30 point game all his owners have been dying for and pull off a victory this week....if they DON'T start Alex Smith again.

On the road to victory.....

Blogging at 60 mph with an obnoxious Eagles fan (Space for rent, not west Philadelphia born and raised) isn't much fun, but at least he's dropped to 0-2 now and with another shocking upset victory, and the loss for the Pumas, does this mean SxC is a top three team? The power rankings aren't out yet, but I'd have to say, as things sit right now the Sunshine have to be our new number one, with SxC coming in at the two slot and thanks to two weeks of dumb luck, the Black Hand has probably sprung into the third spot. But is it dumb luck or very clever roster management on the Hand's part? Let's examine their roster and then you can decide:

The Hand has two of the top scorers so far this year in Tony Romo (55 total fantasy points) and Chad Johnson (53 total points), pretty nice. Throw in Braylon Edwards (35 points) and those three guys have almost outscored the Amish by themselves this year. (For the mathematically challenged, Hand's big three have 143 points, the Amish as a team have 156) Let's go back and examine those numbers though, shall we?

In week one, Romo put up 39 points on a very suspect NY Giant's defense that ranks 29th in overall defense and is dead last in pass defense. Then, last week Ocho-Cinco and Edwards both blew up, in a game versus each other, going for 38 and 32 points respectively. Let's be honest here, we all know shootouts like the 51-45 Cleveland/Cincy game just aren't going to keep happening. Still the truth is much deeper than the past two weeks, its in strength of schedule and roster depth.

Let's start with strength of schedule. Romo in the coming weeks will face: Chicago, St. Louis, Buffalo and then New England. Only one of those teams (Buffalo) is not a top ten defense currently and of those three only Chicago's offense is weak, meaning the 'boys and Romo could be playing from behind a lot. Johnson fares better with his next four games, but only because he has a bye week. He gets to face Seattle, New England, a bye week and then Kansas City. So, two of 85's next four weeks are against top ten defenses and a bye week. Braylon draws Oakland, Baltimore, New England and then Miami, two out of four ain't bad? No, it's still bad.

Look at it this way: I've laid out a chart to show when the Hand's top players will be going against the best defenses for the next four weeks. According to which, this week will be his best chance to score points, because next week they all are playing top tier D's, week 5 Ocho is out and Edwards plays N.E. and then in week 6 Braylon is the only guy going against a less-than top ten D.

	Romo	Ocho	Braylo
Week 3	Chicago	Seattle	Oakland
Week 4	St. Louis	New England	Baltimore
Week 5	Buffalo	BYE	New England
Week 6	New England	Kansas City	Miami

And by the way, in case you didn't notice, Oakland and Miami are generally thought to have a good defense thats off to a rough start, so the only chump I see is a Buffalo D that got raped of their star linebackers over the off season. (I bet Takeo Spikes wishes he had stayed put right about now)

So, what can the Hand do? Look to his bench? Let's check it out. Behind Romo sits last year's Offensive Rookie of The Year, Mr. Vince Young. VY has a nice draw playing New Orleans this week on Monday Night, but then he's on a bye the next week and Romo is a good play for week 5 and then go back to VY for week 6. The real issue is the lack of a good bench WR. When Amani Toomer and Kevin Curtis are the big names on your bench, depth is an issue. So, right now to handle the situation optimally, Hand will probably play their Big Three when possible and settle when he has to. Probably something like this:

	Optimal QB		Optimal WR 1		Optimal WR 2
Week 3	VY v NO		Ocho v Seattle		Braylon v Oak
Week 4	Romo v Rams		Ocho v NE		Braylon v Baltimore
Week 5	Romo v Bills		Toomer v Jets		Braylon v NE
Week 6	VY v NE		Ocho v Cheifs		Braylon v Miami

And let's not forget the number of players the Hand has on bye Week 5, including the only tight end on their roster, Chris Cooley.

So, overall, while I think the Hand has a better chance at making the playoffs this year than earlier thought, they are still not a major player for the Vandelay Cup this year.

At least the trip ended well for me. There's nothing quite like watching Iggles fans abandon ship before the end of the 3rd quarter and cry all the way home.

Hail to the Redskins!

Week Two Power Rankings

Oh you know you really like reading this stuff, so go ahead, scroll down and see where I think you belong and then bitch, moan and cry all you want!

1. Annadale Pumas - Still on top, but only through the grace of God and a horseshoe up their wazoo. Fortunately for them, they play the lesser equipped Black Hand this week and their not going to lose that one either. Remember, for these rankings, you have to get knocked off the top to drop. (I only consider that for the #1 slot though)
   
2. Annandale Sunshine - Strong, strong showing last week for a team whose QB put up a -2 points, and still scored 138 for the highest score this week. 39 of that though came from a Minnesota D that won't have that kind of day again.
   
3. Space For Rent - They had to drop because they lost to the 9th ranked team last week, but they've still got a potent lineup and probably won't have another week like that. They have to get bigger numbers from some key players though to stay this high next week. SFR could get upset two weeks in a row if they aren't careful!
   
4. Rocky Runners - The Runners moved up a place this week with a tough loss to the Pumas. They look like a better team than I originally thought, but they must take care of a glaring weakness at RB
5. Short Bus Bullies - The Bullies dropped out of the top 3 this week after a lackluster performance against the Sunshine. Look for them to bounce back this week against the Amish, but it's still going to be tight.
   
6. Centreville Red Dogs - A convincing win over the Amish have moved the Red Dogs into the sixth spot, but they won't see another performance from Plaxico Burress like that again this year, esp. if Manning doesn't come back soon.
7. Sixteen In The Clip - This week's big movers looked like they may be for real with a smack you in the face win over The Green Helmets. The key for them this week is the fact that their starters are playing weak defenses. Quite possible they could upset Space For Rent.
   
8. Black Hand - Moves up one spot this week for their upset victory over the feared lineup of LT and Frank Gore for Space For Rent. Playing the Pumas this week, Chad Johnson needs to have a huge game against the Browns for the Hand to upset again. We may be calling them giant killers come Tuesday morning though.
   
9. Green Helmets - A huge drop for a team with huge upside, but they have to win first. Stephen Jackson and MoJo Drew won't stay down for long and neither will the Helmets.
   
10. Angry Amish - The Amish have a good team, but their favorable match ups aren't in their favor this week and they could easily fall to 0-2 if things don't go their way.
    

Week In Review

Thank you. That's all I can say. Thanks so much for all the love and support everyone showed by writing to let me know how valuable you found my writings last week. You've given me inspiration to continue on! So, without further ado, here are my top ten observations on how our fantasy week broke down:

1. SxC may be better than anyone gave them credit for.
1. There were some good looking QBs on this roster this week with Roethlisberger and Eli going for big numbers, and Matt Schaub didn't look too shabby either.
2. Figure in good production from Roy Williams, Laveraneus Coles and ADP and they put together a winner....this week.
1. SxC may be in more trouble than they give themselves credit for.
1. Eli went down, and it sounds like it might be for a while
2. Roethlisberger was playing the Browns.
3. Schaub was playing the weak 'D' Chiefs.
2. Black Hand landed a major upset last week, but don't look for a repeat this week as I think the Pumas lineup will prove to be too powerful for the upstart Hand.
1. The Hand did show some life this week though, which is more than I figured they would. Good for them.
2. Chad Johnson is not going to ever make it to the Hall of Fame, but he'll look like he should against the pitiful Cleveland defense.
   
3. The Sunshine aren't as good as they looked last week.
1. Minnesota's 'D' won't have another 39 point day.
2. Not to mention I don't have high hopes that any of their players from the state of Texas will be scoring like that consistently.
4. The Runners looked solid against a weaker looking Pumas team.
1. If The Runners had started Pittsburgh's D over Chicago's D (A tough choice to make), I'd be talking about that upset too.
2. Again, the only real question mark in their lineup is the RB position, and it's early enough in the season make a move and get a solid replacement/backup for Cedric Benson.
5. The Amish are still a good team, no matter what the final score of Week One (112-67, go Red Dogs!) was.
1. Philip Rivers is going to have better weeks, but not next week either. New England is going to crush him, the Amish will be better off starting Alex Smith. Yeah, its that bad.
2. Same thing goes for Larry Johnson, who is facing the Chicago D, that last week smacked LT in the mouth. The only reason LT scored was the TD pass he threw to take away potential points from......Philip Rivers.
3. Todd Heap on the other hand, should have a much better week against a weak Jets defense, if he can hold onto the ball and not get screwed by the refs.
6. The Short Bus Bullies took it hard because of under-performing role players.
1. Deion Branch, Laurence Maroney and the Dallas defense lost that game for the Bullies, who otherwise looked strong. They'll need to keep a careful eye on those guys and be ready to yank them if they don't start showing up.
7. The Green Helmets will not have another showing like that again.
1. MoJo Drew and Stephen Jackson are just too damn good to do that again, and with Jon Kitna getting new life infused to him through the creator of the 'Greatest Show On Turf' look for the helmets to score some huge numbers.
8. Space For Rent could be worse than we thought.
1. Yeah, even with Frank Gore and L.T. they went down, and its due in a large part to a lucky week for The Black Hand, but also due to poor performances from his big names.
2. With Matt Leinhert throwing to Larry Fitzgerald, he may really underachieve this year.
3. Same goes for J.P. Losman to Lee Evans.
4. And Dallas Clark just doesn't get the big numbers.
9. The Pumas are still the best team, but only by the skin of their teeth
1. And yes, that's because I still believe they'll have to be knocked off first.
2. And no, that's not happening this week.
3. But L.J. Smith and Reggie Brown are going to hurt them, especially when (not if) Donovan McNabb goes down for the season.
10. The Red Dogs are still pretenders....
1. But them against The Runners will be the matchup of the week. Its going to be a nail biter, so watch it closely.

Coming soon: Week Two's Featured Match Up and Power Rankings

Week One Power Rankings

Because everyone seemed to love my blog so much yesterday, I felt compelled to post again and cover all the teams in the league, in my first weekly power ranking.

Those of you familiar with ESPN know what power rankings are, but for the uninitiated power rankings are basically a list of all teams, and how they stack up against each other. Who's stock is rising and who's ship has sailed etc. So, without further ado here we go:

1. Annadale Pumas - I'm a believer of the old adage, you're number one until someone knocks you off. So, for now at least the Pumas are the king of the hill. And if you take a look at their starting lineup its hard to argue against them. Peyton at QB, T.O. catching the rock and Joesph Addai running it they have some serious weapons. Watch out for durability issues with Ronnie Brown, L.J. Smith and Randy Moss.
2. Space For Rent - Ladainian Tomlinson, Frank Gore, Marc Bulger and Larry Fitzgerald? Yeah, SFR could easily be number one, but they're not. Mainly because the Pumas won last year, but also because SFR has no real depth. After the starting lineup everyone is either unproven or a handcuff so compared to the Pumas depth I'm not sure SFR is quite ready for #1.
3. Short Bus Bullies - The SBB have some major offensive weapons for an 'expansion' team. Steve Smith, Brian Westbrook, Antonio Gates and Laurence Maroney to name a few. Their depth is decent, but an upgrade at QB over Hasslebeck needs to happen to become an elite team.
4. Annandale Sunshine - The Sunshine are always perennial contenders and this year is no different. With QBs Donovan McNabb and Drew Brees and WR Reggie Wayne they can challenge again. RB Shaun Alexander is still a top tier runner, but could be injury prone. An upgrade at RB is almost a must for the Sunshine to move up.
5. Rocky Runners - Last year's playoff surprise is back and looks poised to make another run this year. With Carson Palmer at QB, and the combo of Hines Ward and Tory Holt at WR in addition to two awesome defenses in Chicago and Pittsburgh, the Runners narrowly beat out the Green Helmets for the five spot.
6. Green Helmets - The running back combination of Maurice Jones-Drew and Stephen Jackson is enough to make the Helmets a fantasy stud, but with Jon Kitna at QB, a weak bench and good but not great WRs, the Helmets lose a place to the Runners.
7. Angry Amish - Larry Johnson is a stud and Todd Heap is still a good tight end, but they aren't enough to make up for weakness and injuries everywhere else in their lineup. The Amish must upgrade somewhere in order to make this year's playoffs. (And maybe start Dante Stallworth? WTF?)
   
8. Centreville Red Dogs - Entering their third year, the Red Dogs still have never made the playoffs and there's not a lot of hope for them this year either unless they make some good moves. Tom Brady, Willie Parker and Rudi Johnson are all good weapons and looking at the lineup on the surface might make you think they have a shot at the playoffs. But, Marvin Harrison is getting older and the rumor is that Reggie Wayne will become Manning's primary target this year. There's also a serious lack of depth at WR and QB.
9. Black Hand - What happened to the Vandelay Cup champion of two years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen. With the only real weapons on this team being Ocho-Cinco and Vince Young don't look for much out of the Hand again this year.
10. Sixteen In The Clip - Marques Colston could have another amazing year, but its still not going to make up for the lack of talent on this roster. SxC is in desperate need of a top tier running back and a couple more serviceable wide receivers and maybe they could make a push. They need to start making plans for next year's first overall pick.
    

Sunshine vs Short Bus Bullies, a breakdown

To really understand my prediction in my earlier post, lets breakdown the match up between the Sunshine and the SBB:

QB

Advantage: Short Bus Bullies
This is clearly the Sunshine's strongest position overall and in a normal week, she would win this going away. The problem is, she's starting the wrong QB this week. Brees will be calling signals in the season opener against Indy. While Indy's defense isn't that strong, look for Peyton and company to dominate with ball control, keeping Brees off the field. Starting McNabb against a decent Green Bay defense may not be a much better option but he'll have better numbers this week for sure. On the other hand, look for Hassleback to have a field day against the Bucs defense, which was one of the worst in the league last year.

WR

Advantage: Sunshine
Why doesn't anyone realize that Marvin Harrison is no longer the man in Indy's offense? True, he's still spectacular, especially for his age, but have no doubt that Reggie Wayne will be the man this year, and this match up over Steve Smith will prove it. Smith will get his, but with two shaky QBs throwing him the ball, don't look for him to have another lights out season like two years ago.

RB

Advantage: Short Bus Bullies
Brian Westbrook and Laurence Maroney vs. Shaun Alexander and ....Deuce McAllister??? Look, obviously Alexander is still a great back and Deuce is a weapon but Reggie Bush is going to continue to take away his touches, and with the Sunshine's best next option being LenDale White don't look for a ton of running production from the Sunshine this year.

TE

Advantage: Short Bus Bullies
Antonio Gates vs. Ben Watson. If I have to explain that then you should call me immediately about trade options.

K

Advantage: Sunshine
Neil Rackers will win out in a close battle versus Nate Kaeding. Kaeding will score a lot because he'll be kicking LT's extra points, but Rackers will ultimately win because he'll be kicking field goals because of Matt Leinhart's dropped TD passes and Edge's inability to overcome a crappy o-line and punch it in.

Defense/ST

Advantage: Tie
Neither team has an amazing defense with Minnesota and Dallas, so its not much to consider.

Wildcards:

If the Sunshine could find the guts to start McNabb over Brees, they could swing a close game in their favor this week. McNabb traditionally has a field day against the Packers, throwing for over a 100 QB rating the last two times he's faced them, including a 5 touchdown performance in 2004. Her starter, Brees, traditionally throws picks against Indy. Every time he's played the Colts in his career he's thrown an interception, including a 2 interception performance in 2005.

Conversely, If the SBB would slip T.J. Houshmandzadeh into the starting lineup this week, he could REALLY be a difference maker. Historically, in 9 career games versus Baltimore, Housh has 5 touchdowns and scored in both games against Ray Lewis et al last year including a 10 catch, 100+ yard performance last November. Bench Mike Furrey, who is going up against one of the league's most underrated defenses in Oakland and start a guy with a proven track record against another top D.

Week One's Featured Match Up

Week One's featured match up is between perennial playoff team and Vandelay Cup contender The Annandale Sunshine and the expansion Short Bus Bullies.

Since the leagues inception two years ago, The Sunshine, led by Sara 'The Greek' Ruckman have always been a powerhouse, with great depth at QB featuring Drew Brees and Donovan McNabb. Add Reggie Wayne at the WR slot and The Sunshine has the ability to throw up a ton of points at any time.

The SBB, led by Jason 'Mavis' Hanna are a virtual unknown. Hanna inherited one of last year's playoff teams, Travis Kelley's Antarctica Anteaters and was allowed to keep 3 of the team and take the first free agent in the draft. This has enabled him to turn a weak playoff team into what could be a Vandelay Cup contender. With pure money players such as Steve Smith at WR, Brian Westbrook at RB and Antonio Gates at TE, The SBB are going to score at will this year, provided they stay healthy.

But that's really going to be the down side for both teams, health. For the Sunshine, the QB tandem of Brees and McNabb could be a scary one health wise. With McNabb recently announcing that he's still not 100% and Brees only a year removed from a season ending shoulder injury don't be surprised to see one of these guys being moved early on to find a healthier, younger backup.

The injury outlook doesn't get better either when you look at the running back slot for the Sunshine. With Shaun Alexander as their only proven starter, and given his recent injury bug (thanks Madden!) this author thinks the Sunshine may be looking for a reliable RB soon.

For the SBB, Westbrook and Smith are constantly banged up, but the are generally more durable than the Sunshine's current crips. Hanna's only other shortcoming maybe the QB position. With Hassleback as his starter (again, injured a good part of last year only playing in 12 games) and back up Jake Delhomme publicly in risk of losing his starting job to former Texans disappointment David Carr, the Bullies are not invincible either.

Currently, Yahoo predicts The Bullies to win out over the The Sunshine 104-87, but I predict a much closer game due to two of the Bullies starters going against the Chicago defense and none of the Sunshine's starters facing a top tier 'D'. Final score: SBB 89, Sunshine 85.

Other notable match ups for week 1:

• None.

All of the other games this week suck. They'll either be between non-contenders (see Red Dogs vs. Amish) or blow outs (see Space for rent vs. Black Hand).

It's ON!

What's up fellow Vandelay Industries teams? I've decided to create a blog for our league this year as well, as to allow us to rant and rave and do other fun things! One of the fun things I think I'm going to do is pick a game each week as our 'Game Of The Week' and review each team and pick a winner! Please feel free to comment and leave your opinions on my opinions as well!