Well boys, it has been a good season. You have much to be proud. You played hard. When others thought that it was over, you kept on fighting. Whatever happens, remember the road that got you here. You're here, because you earned it.
Well, I made it. I held on despite a team of walking wounded and made the Championship Round of the National Fantasy Football Championship and a chance to win the $100,000 grand prize.
To make the Championship Round is not easy. The team with the best head-to-head record in each League and the team with the most points go to the Championship Round. In my case, the team with the best head-to-head record had the most points, so the team with the second best points goes.
My season doesn't end like tweleve other teams in my league. Now I'm in competition with the top tier of teams for the final three weeks of the season. It is exciting, but I must face the facts. On the one hand, my team is completely different than all the other teams that made it. On the other hand, my players are hurt and I'm having a heck of time putting together a lineup.
My strategy that got me to the Championship Round was to focus on running backs and tight ends. That worked great. Unfortunately, all my running backs have gotten hurt and my wide receivers are Grade-B to Grade-C. Against my competition in the League, my ability to score 130 points a game was good enough to carry me to the promised land. Against, the elite competition, I need a miracle.
In my first week, not knowing what to send out, I used James Jones as my #3 WR. My other wide receiver options were banged up and he was healthy, so he was a safe choice. He put up a giant Zero while my hurt players put up solid numbers.
I like to think if I had put in my most optimal lineup I would be in the running, but even if I did, I'd still be behind more than half the league, so it is probably safe to say that my season is done regardless of the zero.
There isn't much additional strategy in this phase of the game. There is no FAAB in the final weeks, so dump your #6 wide receiver and pick up an extra kicker. If your kicker goes down, you are in trouble. Make sure you have two of everything, except defenses. If your defense has a rough game in their schedule, then have a backup defense as well.
Other than that piece of advice, you need to be lucky. You have to pick right every single time. Pray to whoever you pray to and pray hard.
As I write, I watch Travis Henry give me 2.7 points. 27 yards on 10 carries. I'm glad I didn't stick Stokely out there. He didn't get a reception. I guess I just don't have what it takes on this roster.
My season is coming down to this: It is 4th and twenty-six. There is less than a minute on the clock and I have no time-outs. It has been a good season, but I need a miracle.
I can't complain. The $2,500 and the Aaron Rogers signed jersey are pretty nice.
JP Kastner is the winner of the 2007 Strat-O-Matic Baseball Online Expert League World Series. In five seasons of SOMBOE, JP Kastner has five winning seasons, four playoff appearances, three World Series appearances and now one World Championship. He is in his second season in the Tout Wars mixed league.