Week 3 (cont'd)

WatchBlog here.  Crazy week 3 is over.  Let's get to it.

Suspicions Confirmed

With all the media attention (provided by WatchBlog - you're welcome) on the reigning champion Quail Hunters and allegations that their manager was nothing more than a figurehead in 2011, it appears that actual control of the Hunters has finally been left up to Amanda "Wait, I'm playing a fantasy what now?" Cook.  What else would explain the failure of the Quail Hunters to replace injured RB Matt Forte in a game against the highest scoring team in the league and on pace to unseat the Champs?  Turns out that one roster decision wouldn't have been enough to make a difference as Shoshana "I'm stressing out over 25+ point wins - I told you this was a bad idea" Cook's Sugar Gliders won with their largest margin of the season.  With 4 players on a BYE next week, the Gliders will face their biggest challenge so far against the surprisingly good Cow Pokes in a battle for the early lead in the 5 Cooks division.  Who'd have thought I'd ever be writing that this season?

If it Ain't Broke...

Speaking of things you'd never think I'd be writing - the Honey Badger is 2-1 and tied for the best record in the 3 Cooks, a Bryant, & 1 more Cook division.  But before you begin wondering what happened to the uncaring Honey Badger we've all grown to know and love, be aware that for the second week in a row, the Badger started an inactive player.  What is different for Andrew "I won't take 5 minutes to check my roster, you think I'm reading WatchBlog?" Cook this year is that his team is good enough to win short handed.  Lauren "Who would have guessed a dog killer would be undependable?" Cook's Hottez wit da bodiez were on the short end of the Badger's improbable winning streak.  A 20 point difference in scoring from the defenses made the difference, and dropped the Hottez to 1-2.  The Hottez will hope to turn it around in week 4 against the division leading MotherBoy, and the Hottez manager will reportedly have her phone turned to silent before 8 am in the upcoming week in anticipation of a taunting campaign by her opponent.

QB Controversy?

No one wants to have a QB controversy, even in fantasy football, since every week you can't be sure which QB will be your best player.  Welcome to The Gamers world.  Gamers' QBs Cutler and Romo put up 7 and 5 points respectively in week 3, and Durlon "I bet they both pay taxes, too" Bryant had the unenviable position of having to choose between the two.  Problem was, neither choice would have given Bryant a victory, but had he actually had a QB to put up at least a modest 15 points, he could have knocked off the division leading MotherBoy.  Instead he'll have to hope for better in next week's matchup against the worst team in the league, the woeful Easily Defeated... uh... Offensive.  MotherBoy got back on the winning track in week 3, but did so with another lackluster point total.  Gary "If you don't know what my team name means then I must question your taste in TV programming" Cook has the 2nd highest scoring team in the league, but will go into week 4 as an underdog to the Michael Vick led Hottez.  (Insert your own dog killer joke here.)  A loss by MotherBoy could open the door for the Honey Badger to hold sole first place in the division.  And you thought this week was crazy...


Fun with week 3 numbers

Rank	Team	Actual	Optimal	Percentage
1	Sugar Gliders	90.60	100.20	90.42%
2	Honey Badger	84.08	102.30	82.19%
3	MotherBoy	79.40	97.42	81.50%
4	Cow Pokes	84.84	105.84	80.16%
5	The Gamers	70.12	88.32	79.39%
6	Easily Offensive	60.92	88.46	68.87%
7	Hottez wit da bodiez	77.78	123.50	62.98%
8	Left Fielders	99.72	165.28	60.33%
9	47ers	73.92	125.62	58.84%
10	Quail Hunters	60.80	112.96	53.82%

WatchBlog Power Rankings - through week 3

Rk	Team	Record	Points	Bkdown	Power	Actual Wins	Points Scored	Bkdown Wins
1	Sugar Gliders	10	10	10	30	3	303.68	23
2	MotherBoy	6	9	9	24	2	295.92	19
3	Left Fielders	6	6	8	20	2	264.02	18
4	Honey Badger	6	7	6	19	2	270.72	16
5	Hottez.bodiez	2	8	7	17	1	271.96	17
6	Cow Pokes	6	2	3	11	2	227.52	10
7	47ers	2	5	3	10	1	254.24	10
8	The Gamers	2	4	3	9	1	240.54	10
9	Quail Hunters	2	3	2	7	1	229.16	8
10	Easily Off.	1	1	1	3	0	213.22	4

WatchBlog out.

Week 3

WatchBlog here.  Only 1 game is officially final, but a second is undoubtedly over.  Let's get to it.

Beat at Their Own Game

In 2011, one team made it into the playoffs by finding a stud QB late in the draft, and through systematically turning over its roster through the waiver wire - that team was the 47ers.  In 2012, that team is the Cow Pokes.  These two teams faced off in week 3, and while the Cow Pokes haven't made the playoffs just yet, they have hit a milestone by achieving a winning record for the first time in the history of the franchise.  Norman "Yes, I'll even bench a Cowboy if it helps me win" Cook was able to fend off last year's Cinderella team in a close contest that was in question until late Sunday night.  The 47ers had great point production in week 3, however, too many of the points were wasted on their bench.  Jerry "I'm a league manager and then I write posts as though I'm a media member, and I don't find that weird at all" Cook had the tough task of making 2 different roster decisions where the projected points for each player were within a half point. Had he decided differently on either position, he would have won.  Guess that's why these fantasy managers get paid the big fantasy bucks.

At Least They Had the Excuse of Not Caring

In 2011, one team struggled mightily to earn their first win of the season, and weren't able to do so until week 8 - that team was the Honey Badger.  In 2012, that team seems to be Easily Offensive.  3 weeks in, and Easily Offensive has yet to come within 30 points of its opponent.  Part of that is that they've had the most difficult schedule by far in the first 3 games, but mostly they've just been bad, and steadily getting worse.  David "Who knew you need a spleen to catch footballs" Cook started with a bad draft, and then topped it off with poor roster decisions, and ineffective waiver wire acquisitions - or what he likes to call it - "The 3 keys to failure."  The Left Fielders, ahead by over 30 and not done scoring, are nonetheless kicking themselves over surprising breakout performances from their bench.  With over 70 additional points available on the Left Fielders' bench, even her reserves could have outscored the Offensives by themselves.  Cindy "Oh right, now I remember why this is fun" Cook can begin early preparation for next week when she battles her husband in week 4 and tries to break the 1-1 (including postseason) series tie.  As of Sunday night, these two teams had the highest optimal point totals for the week.  May the best manager win.

Some very close games remain, and a few upsets are in the making.  More on that later.  WatchBlog out.