2012 Midseason Report Card - Top 5

WatchBlog here.  The remaining top 5 in the CFFFL.  Could surprise some. Let's get to it:

5.  Left Fielders - Watchblog doesn't grade solely on record.  Total points, and how each team would have fared against all teams had they played everyone each week (Breakdown record) are the other 2 factors used to arrive at WatchBlog's Power Rankings, and midseason grades.  The Left Fielders' grade benefited from a high point total and better than average breakdown record, and was the reason they edged out the Cow Pokes, despite having fewer wins.  Problem for the Fielders is that they've played the 3rd toughest schedule in the league, and have lost at least 2 games when scoring over 90 points.  A recent trade to acquire TE Jason Witten should help, but having to rely on an inconsistent WR Dez Bryant and giving up a very productive Percy Harvin could prove to be too costly in the long run.  We shall see.  Cindy "Why didn't I take Gronkowski when I had the chance?" Cook is still in a good position to return to the playoffs for a 2nd year in a row, and could be trouble if she makes it.  Grade:  C+

4.  Quail Hunters - The Quail Hunters were 6-1 at this point last season, and despite a meager 3-3 record to finish, made it into the post season and the rest is history.  2012 has been a different story.  Without a hot start, the Quail Hunters are in good position to make the post season, but a 3-3 record to finish this year could mean an early finish to their season, and hopes to repeat as CFFFL Champion.  But be aware, despite only being 1 game over .500, Amanda "So about Draft Day 2013, are y'all gonna be really mad if I can't make it?" Cook has the 2nd highest scoring team in the CFFFL, and that is despite some manager inattentiveness early in the season.  Never underestimate the heart of a Champion - especially if she cares just a little. Grade: B

3.  Honey Badger - It doesn't get any more frustrating than the Honey Badger.  Had Andrew "20 minutes warning is all I get?  I can't even roll out of bed in 20 minutes..." Cook just spent 5 minutes on his week 7 roster, he would have likely ended up at 6-1, and remained 1st in the CFFFL, and secured the all important "A" grade from WatchBlog's midseason report.  But this is the Honey Badger, and not surprisingly, a letter grade was little incentive for even the smallest amount of effort.  What makes the Badger dangerous is that BYE weeks eventually end, and unless injuries become a factor, the Badger still might end up with the strongest team headed into the playoffs - which the Badger will undoubtedly make, no matter how little he cares.   Grade: B

2.  Sugar Gliders - The most controversial WatchBlog ranking at midseason goes to the Sugar Gliders.  All alone at 6-1, there was no reason to believe the Gliders wouldn't end up as the number 1 ranked team.  However, as explained before, WatchBlog has 3 areas of focus when ranking teams, and the Gliders are very good in all 3, but only the best in record.  Not to say that Shoshana "Hrumph, I guess broccoli is gonna be a major ingredient in this week's dinner menu..." Cook doesn't have an impressive team.  You can't get to 6-1 without being a great team - and if TE Jimmy Graham ever gets healthy and returns to form, the Gliders may be unstoppable.  This team is playoff bound - it's only a question of how far they get.   Grade: A

1.  MotherBoy - "Operation Hot Mother" has been a huge success.  Despite an embarrassing loss to the 47ers in week 2, and a razor thin loss to the Badger in week 5, Gary "Is it wrong that I'm hoping Marty B goes off for 30 pts vs. the Cowboys this week?" Cook has a talented and deep team heaping on the points most every week.  The result is that MotherBoy is the highest scoring team in the league, and sits alongside the Badger at the top of the 3CBC division.  Along with their #1 ranking in scoring MotherBoy is ranked #1 in breakdown record.  You can see WatchBlog's power ranking system below, and if you recall, the highest power ranked team after week 7 last year was the eventual 2011 CFFFL Champ.  (Don't worry if you don't recall - WatchBlog will be sure to remind you.)  Not saying this guarantees MotherBoy the vaunted title, but WatchBlog wouldn't be printing up too many 2012 CFFFL Champion T-shirts that don't have MotherBoy on them.  Grade: A


WatchBlog Power Rankings through week 7 (1-10)

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Breakdown	Power
1	MotherBoy	8.5	10	10	28.5
2	Sugar Gliders	10	8	9	27
3	Honey Badger	8.5	6	8	22.5
4	Quail Hunters	6.5	9	6.5	22
5	Left Fielders	4.5	7	6.5	18
6	Cow Pokes	6.5	5	5	16.5
7	Hottez wit da bodiez	4.5	4	4	12.5
8	47ers	2.5	3	3	8.5
9	The Gamers	2.5	1	1.5	5
10	Easily Offensive	1	2	1.5	4.5

WatchBlog out.

2012 Midseason Report Card - Bottom 5

WatchBlog here again. The CFFFL 2012 regular season is more than halfway over.  Here is WatchBlog’s Midseason Report Card, starting with WatchBlog’s worst:

*Note:  You might want to pay attention.  WatchBlog's top ranked Midseason team in 2011 was the eventual CFFFL Champion (not to mention, the 2 lowest ranked teams finished exactly in line with their rank.) WatchBlog 2011 midseason rankings were also identical to final rankings at a 40% rate, and were within 1 place of final rankings at a 70% rate.

10.  Easily Offensive - No doubt here.  The worst team in the first half of the 2012 CFFFL season has been Easily Offensive.  Having just gotten their first win in the first 7 weeks, the team can best be described as "eww, seriously?  So gross."  Draft Day was where the first nail on the Offensive coffin was driven as David "I'd just like to offer my strong vote of confidence to my GM - the necessary prerequisite to firing him" Cook passed on QB Drew Brees to draft RB Darren McFadden.  Surely the drop off between Brees and the Offensive's eventual pick, QB Phillip Rivers, wouldn't be much - unless, this was 2012 and not 2010.  The Offensives actually had to drop their starting QB later in the season to pick up someone else's backup QB - never a good sign.  Despite using 4 of their first 5 picks on RBs, the team has still struggled to put up good numbers at RB.  Only through trading some of these numerous RBs has the team finally found a little success.  Very doubtful it will be long-lived.  The team will have to win out to have a realistic chance at the post-season - so, start planning for 2013.  Grade:  F

9.  The Gamers - After a highly criticized draft, The Gamers responded in week 1 by scoring almost 100 points, and defeating the surprisingly good Honey Badger for a 1-0 start.  Durlon "I'm not saying the government is conspiring to make me lose, but I'm also not not saying it" Bryant was feeling good, but the joy was fleeting as his team went on to win only 1 more game of their next 6, with the 1 win to the even more pathetic Easily Offensive.  The "noobz pwner" had instead become the "pwned," and prospects for improvement look bleak.  With only 1 consistently good WR, and 1 consistently good RB (currently out due to injury) and 0 consistently good QBs, WatchBlog doesn't really see a path for improvement.  The trade block seems to be The Gamers' best bet, however, they really don't have enough resources to make that work.  The only thing saving The Gamers from a last place ranking is the impressive week 1 win, but nothing has impressed since.  Grade:  F

8.  47ers - In 2011, the 47ers hit the midpoint of the season on a hot 3 game win streak and a 4-3 record, despite huge injury problems.  They only managed 2 more wins the rest of the season, but still managed to claw their way into the last playoff spot.  Perhaps Jerry "Playing down to the competition - cause that implies I'm actually better than my competition, and that's justified" Cook can repeat his playoff berth by having a hot 2nd half this year similar to his hot first half in 2011.  An attempted trade for Dez Bryant was rescinded by agreement with the Left Fielders, and instead the 47ers converted their star TE Rob Gronkowski into depth at RB with Mikel Leshoure.  With the re-emergence of 47ers' RB Chris Johnson, the trade may have been premature - but only time will tell.  It is notable that the 47ers have put RBs on their list of positions they are now willing to trade away.  Not a good sign.  Not a good team. Grade:  D

7.  Hottez wit da bodiez - What really makes evaluating a team difficult is when a team's best players aren't even allowed to compete from week to week.  WatchBlog relies on numbers to grade CFFFL teams, but when those numbers are 0s simply because someone like Lauren "Please don't call me before 8, or at all on game day - I don't want to hear it" Cook neglects to replace inactive and BYE week players, those numbers are a bit skewed.  Nevertheless, the wins and losses stick, and even the worst managers can make the playoffs, as Hottez wit da bodiez proved in 2011. Their 3-4 record is identical to their 2011 record at the midway point, so WatchBlog can't say it won't happen again, but the team will need another strong finish to see the postseason again, and who would want to go out on the Hottez limb to predict that?  Not WatchBlog.  Grade:  C-

 6.  Cow Pokes - In 2011, the PlowBoys won 4 games all season, and had only 2 wins at the midpoint.  That was 2011.  2012 has seen a new attitude, a new team name, and a new winning way.  At 4-3 the team hasn't had a losing record since week 1.  Unfortunately, not everything is new, and a few questionable roster cuts have emerged.  Just the sheer number of Cow Pokes' moves is impressive.  Last year, the PlowBoys made 32 moves for the year.  In 2011 Norman "If it ain't bolted down - it's probably gonna get cut" Cook and the Cow Pokes have already made 25 moves with 6 weeks to go.  Interestingly, 8 of the 32, or 25% of the players cut by the Cow Pokes are back on active rosters - with 2 of the 8 actually rejoining the Pokes.  With an ever-present need of quality WRs in the CFFFL, perhaps trading players like Dez Bryant and Josh Gordon would have netted the Pokes some higher quality returns than the normal waiver wire fodder.  Of course, getting the Cow Pokes to successfully complete a trade is about as likely as the Cow Pokes never waiving another player.  Grade:  C

WatchBlog Power Rankings through week 7 (6-10)

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Breakdown	Power
6	Cow Pokes	6.5	5	5	16.5
7	Hottez wit da bodiez	4.5	4	4	12.5
8	47ers	2.5	3	3	8.5
9	The Gamers	2.5	1	1.5	5
10	Easily Offensive	1	2	1.5	4.5

WatchBlog out.

Week 7 - Monday in Review

WatchBlog here.  No miraculous finishes, but one miraculous result.  Let's get to it.

Purge and Win-ge
After a humiliating 6 game losing streak to start the 2012 season, Easily Offensive had nothing to lose, and thus began the dismantling of the team.  First TE Jason Witten was traded to the Left Fielders for WR Percy Harvin.  The Fielders had the luxury of dealing the productive WR after picking up WR Dez Bryant up off waivers.  Next up on the block was starting QB Phillip Rivers who was dealt with RB Fred Jackson to the Sugar Gliders for QB Andy Dalton and RB Peyton Hillis.  But David "It's a 1 in a million shot that I can make the playoffs? ...So you're saying there's a chance..." Cook wasn't done as he also picked up TE Rob Gronkowski for RB Mikel LeShoure from the 47ers, and finally cut Hillis to then pick up free agent QB Josh Freeman.  Suddenly the "Offensiveness" of the team seemed more related to offense than odor.  And for once this season, the team actually out performed expectations, and put a hurt on the floundering Gamers.  Durlon "Really, you pick this week to revamp?" has made few improvements to his team, and as a result, is in the midst of a 3 game losing streak. If there is any good news for The Gamers, he does meet the Badger next week, with a BYE in play...

The Cowboy Curse
On paper, the Left Fielders had really improved their team.  First they picked up Cowboy WR Bryant after inexplicably being placed on waivers.  Then, in a week 7 trade, they added another talented Cowboy in a big position of need - TE.  They needed the improvement since, despite being 4th in total points, their record winning percentage was a mere .500, and only a win would help turn the tide of under-achievement.  However, the win would have to come at the expense of the 5-1 Sugar Gliders. Had Cindy "I have 2 Dallas Cowboy stars on my team, how could anything go wrong?" Cook never heard of the Cowboy Curse?  Surely she witnessed the last place finish of the 2011 PlowBoys and their Cowboy rich roster.  The curse appeared again in 2012 with The Gamers and Easily Offensive each struggling for wins with Cowboys in prominent positions.  Perhaps she knows something we don't, but with Halloween right around the corner, carrying cursed players on your roster can't be a good idea.  The Sugar Gliders kept their losing streak at 1, and reclaimed first place in the CFFFL with the win.  Shoshana "I don't even wear T-shirts, so what do I really get out of this?" Cook will take on the Cow Pokes next week who will be facing BYE week problems.  She will attempt to be the first team in the league to reach lucky # 7 in wins.  In contrast to the cursed teams of the CFFFL, the Gliders appear to be charmed.

The Return of Horace?

It has been over a year since the CFFFL has witnessed an appearance of the plant overlord that appears during high levels of of manager indifference.  His online moniker is Cronos, unless you looked at his appearance from a year ago, when his moniker was Chronos.  However he chooses to spell his name (he's a plant, I think we can cut him some slack) he is a welcome voice calling for a minimum amount of participation.  All WatchBlog can ask is, what took you so long?

Fun with week 7 numbers!

Rank	Team	Actual	Optimal	Percentage
1	Left Fielders	59.14	62.34	94.87%
2	Easily Offensive	125.60	134.70	93.24%
3	MotherBoy	92.94	100.54	92.44%
4	Cow Pokes	85.58	93.98	91.06%
5	Quail Hunters	104.48	115.68	90.32%
6	The Gamers	71.98	84.28	85.41%
7	Sugar Gliders	88.66	122.46	72.40%
8	47ers	65.38	103.30	63.29%
9	Hottez wit da bodiez	58.70	92.84	63.23%
10	Honey Badger	16.50	71.02	23.23%

WatchBlog Power Rankings - through week 7

Rk	Team	Record	Points	Bkdown	Power	Actual Wins	Points Scored	Bkdown Wins
1	MotherBoy	8	10	10	28	5	694.78	45
2	Sugar Gliders	10	8	9	27	6	645.96	40
3	Honey Badger	8	6	8	22	5	604.32	39
4	Quail Hunters	6	9	6	21	4	647.20	38
5	Left Fielders	4	7	6	17	3	638.74	38
6	Cow Pokes	6	5	5	16	4	601.94	32
7	Hottez.bodiez	4	4	4	12	3	581.14	31
8	47ers	2	3	3	8	2	570.16	20
9	The Gamers	2	1	1	4	2	517.42	16
9	Easily Off.	1	2	1	4	1	548.18	16

WatchBlog out.

Week 7 - Sunday in Review

WatchBlog here.  1 game is officially final, 2 are un-officially final, and 2 are "absent a miracle," final.  We'll leave the miracle games for later.  Let's get to it.

More of the same

After last week's shake up at the top of the standings, MotherBoy had a chance to reassert itself as one of the league favorites.  It would have to do so against a "hot" Hottez team who was riding a 2 game winning streak, and fighting for a playoff spot.  Ok, maybe "fighting" was too strong a word, as the Hottez indifference reappeared in week 7, and 3 BYE players were Hottez starters.  Lauren "Huh, Aunt Cindy didn't text me this week - I'm sure it has nothing to do with us being tied in the standings..." Cook reportedly attended a Mavs game Wednesday night, perhaps looking to add a new sport to her management portfolio, or perhaps just checking out some tall bodiez.  Whatever the reason, it apparently distracted her from fielding a complete roster.  Gary "I beat my daughter - regularly" Cook has reclaimed first place in the 3CBCD, and will hope to hold on to it next week in a face off with the dangerous, but disappointing Left Fielders.

And still more...

Speaking of 1st place in the 3CBCD, the Honey Badger held it for exactly 1 week.  Perhaps the pressure of being on top was just too much, or perhaps it was the hellacious BYE week schedule that was too much to overcome.  Apparently the Badger thought so, as he didn't even bother to replace any of the 4 players that were facing a BYE.  The result was a CFFFL record low point output of 16.5 points, and the Badger's first loss since week 1.  Andrew "you assume I thought about it at all - have you forgotten my slogan?" Cook's embarrassing loss was handed to him by the woeful 47ers, who were delighted to receive a gift-wrapped win, being that it was only their 2nd of the season.  Jerry "Chris Johnson - you're just messing with me now, aren't you" pulled off one of a number of trades that the CFFFL saw in the past week, in an effort to replace his inconsistent RB Chris Johnson - who immediately responded by putting up 31.8 points from the 47ers bench - nearly double the total points put up by the Badger's entire team - ouch - that's got to hurt both teams...

And now for something completely different...

The Quail Hunters had started the season with what appeared to be a Title Hangover.  Recently though, they had turned the ship around, and were actually winning a few games.  Norman "TE Fred Davis is out for the year - when I make my roster moves I will cut him, and NOT Wes Welker - I promise" Cook's Cow Pokes, who finished at the opposite end from the Hunters, had been competitive all season, and had already beaten the defending Champs in week 2.  In the rematch game, and the only week 7 game that was even competitive, the Hunters pulled even in the season series with the Pokes, and in so doing, pulled into 4th place in the CFFFL.  Amanda "If they strip the title from me, I'm still keeping the T-shirt" Cook appears to be making another late run at the title, and has a chance to continue that run next week against the 47ers.  Of course if they happen to "forget" to replace their BYE week players, that wouldn't be suspicious at all...

Midseason report card is in the works.  Stay tuned for that and Monday in Review.  WatchBlog out.