Tiebreakers

For those of you in the playoffs:

The complexity of the tiebreakers, in addition to the flexibility required for you, means that the tiebreakers will not be done in the system this year.

You are required to submit three tiebreakers. It is in your best interest to submit four to maintain maximum flexibility with your swing, 1 RB, 1 TE, and 2 WR.

Why submit four? Let's look at the possible tiebreaker combinations:

If you start 2 RB, 1 TE, and 2 WR, your tiebreakers can be either 1 TE and 1 WR or 2 WR, in any order

If you start 1 RB, 1 TE, and 3 WR, your tiebreaker can be 1 RB and either 1 TE or 1 WR, but the first tiebreaker must be the RB or a TE.

If you start 1 RB, 2 TE, and 2 WR, your tiebreaker must be 1 RB and 1 WR, in either order.

Thus, it is in your best interest to submit 4... 1 RB, 1 TE, and 2 WR, though you can get away with either 1 TE and 1 WR or just 2 WR. Again, maximum flexibility.

When submitting the tiebreakers, the other thing to keep in mind is that, if you are not sure who you will actually start in later games, that you say what the "pecking order" is. For example: If I were in the playoffs, I would say something like "I'm not sure whether I will start Lance Moore or Mario Manningham, but the other one will be my highest possible tiebreaker."

Finally, after they play, you can't change where they rank. So if you say "Willis McGahee is my RB Tiebreaker and he is my second ranked tiebreaker" then you are saying that he will be TB2 unless he has to be TB1 because of your starters.

Regular Season Finale Update

Here we go:


First Round:
Baltimore @ Myrtle Beach
New Orleans @ South Bend
Las Vegas @ Toluca Lake
Sonoma @ Tacoma

Draft Order after 1st Round:

1. Albuquerque
2. Charlotte Amalie
3. Tampa Bay
4. Gainesville
5. Barrow
6. New York
7. South Park
8. Laupahoehoe
9. Baltimore
10. New Orleans
11. Tacoma
12. Las Vegas
13. Sonoma
14. Toluca Lake
15. South Bend
16. Myrtle Beach

(note, the champion will move to the bottom, and the runner up will move to #15 and everyone after will move up where necessary)



Lottery

• Albuquerque: B1-B15, I16-I23
• Charlotte Amalie: I24-I30, N31-N36
• Tampa Bay: N37-N45, G46-G49
• Gainesville: G50-G60, O61-O62
• Barrow: O63-O68
• New York: O69-O71
• South Park: O72-O73
• Laupahoehoe: O74-O75

Week 12...

Only muddled things further.

Let's just go over the surprises:

• Laupahoehoe over Toluca Lake-- The ? stay relevant while the Leprechauns didn't lose any ground.
• Tacoma over Sonoma -- It's been a rough three games for Sonoma, and their once sure run to the playoffs is now not looking so sure.  Tacoma has flashed back into the picture.
• Charlotte Amalie over Gainesville -- Charlotte knocked Gainesville's slim hopes for a playoff spot down the drain.

Best I can tell situations:

• Myrtle Beach has won the division, gets home field with one win or one South Bend loss
• Charlotte Amalie makes the playoffs with two wins and two losses from two of Baltimore, New Orleans, and New York and at least one loss from Gainesville
• Gainesville has been eliminated, because Gainesville cannot win tiebreakers against Baltimore, New Orleans, or New York.  If Gainesville wins two games, they get second place, eliminating Charlotte Amalie
• Tampa Bay has been eliminated
• South Bend has won the division, gets home field with two wins and two Myrtle Beach losses
• New York makes playoffs with two wins, one win and one loss from either Baltimore or New Orleans, or two losses from Baltimore and either two wins from Gainesville or one loss from Charlotte Amalie
• Baltimore makes playoffs with one win or two losses from either New York or New Orleans and either two wins from Gainesville or one loss from Charlotte Amalie
• New Orleans makes playoffs with two wins, or one win and two losses from either New York or Baltimore
• South Park wins division with one win or one Tacoma loss..  Cannot win wildcard.  Wins home field with two wins and two Toluca Lake losses and one Sonoma loss.
• Tacoma wins division with two wins and two South Park losses.  Wins wildcard with two wins and one loss by Sonoma or one win and two losses by Sonoma and one loss by Laupahoehoe
• Barrow has been eliminated
• Albuquerque has been eliminated
• Toluca Lake has clinched playoffs.  Wins division with one win or one loss by Sonoma.  Wins home field with one win or one South Park loss and one loss by Sonoma.
• Las Vegas clinches playoffs with one win or one loss by both Laupahoehoe and Tacoma.
• Sonoma clinches playoffs with two wins or one win and one loss by Tacoma or two losses by Tacoma and one loss by Laupahoehoe.  Wins division with two wins and two losses by Toluca Lake.  Wins home field with two wins and two losses by Toluca Lake and one loss by South Park.
• Laupahoehoe clinches playoffs with two wins and two losses by either Sonoma or Las Vegas and one loss by Tacoma.

As we rush into Thanksgiving Week

For those who don't know, this is the week upon which the entire schedule is based.

I have two stock schedules (that admittedly need some tweeking for home game clumping) that I use for the season:  one for odd numbered years, and one for even numbered years.  The schedule is set up like this:

C1 @ C2
C3 @ S3
P1 @ M1
P3 @ P4

Etc.  the letters being the division, and the number being what place they finished in last season.  I have each week set up with a letter, A through N, for each of the 14 weeks.

When the NFL releases their schedule, I look for which week Thanksgiving will be, either week 13 or week 14.  I then find the game in the schedule where Toluca Lake is at Laupahoehoe.  Say it's week B.  Week B becomes Thanksgiving week.  Week C becomes the next week.  Week D becomes the next week.  Week E becomes opening week, Week F is week 2, and on down.  So if the standings hold in the Southwest, you'll see Myrtle Beach @ Charlotte Amalie, Barrow @ South Park, New York @ Gainesville, Sonoma @ Albuquerque, Tacoma @ Baltimore, South Bend @ New Orleans, and Tampa Bay @ Las Vegas during the Thanksgiving week.

Last week muddied things.

•  Myrtle Beach has clinched the Southeast, and holds a two game edge over South Bend for Home Field throughout.
• Gainesville, Tampa Bay, and Charlotte Amalie have not yet been eliminated but are hanging on by a thread.  The shame for Tampa Bay and Charlotte is that neither of them will win a tiebreak with Gainesville, but Gainesville will lose tiebreaks with the entire Crescent division.  This means that Tampa and Charlotte would win tie breakers against New York, but may not get the chance because a tie between Gainesville and New York is won by New York.  There are no three way ties.
• South Bend has clinched a wildcard, and has a healthy two game lead on Baltimore and New York with three to play.  They are in because they are guaranteed to have a better record than Gainesville, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Amalie, and would win a tiebreaker with New Orleans, who can only tie them.
• Baltimore is in an OK spot right now.  A loss to South Bend knocks them out of division contention, but a win strengthens them due to a sweep of South Bend.  A loss will cloud the playoff opportunities as well.
• New York, which has no right being above .500 at this point, has their toughest stretch of the season right now.  Games against Las Vegas, South Bend, and New Orleans will cause the finish to the season to be a nailbiter.  The losses to Tampa Bay, Charlotte Amalie, and Barrow hang on their head like an albatross.
• New Orleans has the gift of a good schedule.  Tampa Bay, New York, and Charlotte Amalie should lead to 2-1 and a 7-7 record.  This year that should be enough to get in.
• South Park has it tough for the rest of the season.  Going to Barrow is always tough, followed up by Toluca Lake and Las Vegas.  I suppose the theory is they will be battle tested for the playoffs, should they make it.
• Tacoma is in the same boat.  Sonoma this week, an apparent breather against Gainesville, followed by Toluca Lake.  
• Barrow is hanging on by a thread, and has a date with South Bend next week, which could end hope for this year.
• Albuquerque has done marvelously considering their cap problems.  Next year, they will be penalized on the cap, but 2-9 isn't all that bad.
• Toluca Lake has clinched a wildcard and continues to dominate, but the end of the schedule isn't easy.  Laupahoehoe will be tough.  South Park and Tacoma both need wins and both are very close in production to them.  A win this week sews up the division, but a loss gives Sonoma another shot.
• Sonoma is NOT a shoe-in to the playoffs. Tacoma, Las Vegas and Laupahoehoe, three teams also vying for a wildcard, are on the slate.  7-7 is not likely but it isn't out of the realm of possibility.  At the same time, it's possible for them to still snare the division from Toluca Lake.
• Las Vegas has possibility been eliminated from division contention, but I'm not sure how a 3 way tie with Toluca Lake, Sonoma, and Las Vegas would work, or if it's even possible given the rest of the schedule.  However, they definitely haven't been eliminated from the wildcard and while the schedule isn't helpful, three home games will make it uncomfortable for their opponents.
• Laupahoehoe is not out yet, though it doesn't look good.  Toluca Lake this week, Baltimore next week, and closing out with Sonoma all at home give them some hope.

Taxi Squad vs. Practice Squad

A refresher on these two.

The Taxi Squad consists of players that a team has drafted, but have never had available to start.  Their contracts count against the cap.  They are not available to be bid on as free agents.  A player becomes ineligible for the taxi squad if he is ever on an active roster or he is available to be bid on by other teams.

The Practice Squad consists of players signed to practice squad contracts.  These are players that, after two weeks on the practice squad, can be called up immediately to the active roster at the minimum.  Players can be signed to the practice squad without bidding, and can be waived from the active roster with the intent of placing them on the practice squad.  Players on the practice squad ARE free agents and can be signed to the active roster of another team.  However, once signed to the active roster from a practice squad, they cannot be put on the new team's practice squad.

A note about new players

For whatever reason, this season has brought on an abundance of players being added to the system.  I am working on a means for you to add players yourselves.  However, keep in mind that when this happens, if you add a player already in the system (there will be NO indulgence for misspelling of names) you will be fined heavily for the work I have to do to pull the player out.

Speaking of Player Updates

You have the ability to change the NFL teams of players on your roster.   I expect you to use it when you realize that a player is on the wrong team.

Week 10 recap

The games:

Gainesville 16
South Bend 25

Myrtle Beach 32
New Orleans 0

Las Vegas 25
Sonoma 12

Baltimore 0
South Park 42

Charlotte Amalie 0
Toluca Lake 28

New York 8
Barrow 48

Tampa Bay 60
Laupahoehoe 69

Albuquerque 4
Tacoma 43

The Aftermath

• Myrtle Beach (8-2) has clinched the Southeast division by virtue of a guaranteed split with Gainesville (4-6) and guaranteed better conference record than 2nd place Gainesville
• South Bend (7-3) has a two game lead in the Crescent.  All three other teams in the division are 5-5 and two games back.
• Right now, the wildcards would go to Baltimore (5-5) and New York (5-5).  New Orleans (5-5) is shut out, but we're talking about tiebreakers.  
• Speaking of New Orleans.  They have lost 4 straight after winning 5 straight.  They have South Bend again this week, followed by arguably three of the four worst teams (New York, Tampa Bay (3-7) and Charlotte Amalie (3-7)).  They may be falling, but they can right themselves.
• It isn't out of the question for either Tampa Bay or Charlotte Amalie to make the playoffs.  Further, it is completely within the realm of possibility for a 5-9 team from the Eastern Conference to make the playoffs.  
• If Tampa and Charlotte win their remaining games against the other 4 teams, Gainesville beats New York this week, New York beats New Orleans, and they all lose the rest of their games, New York will get into the playoffs at 6-8, while there would be 5 teams at 5-9, and Baltimore would emerge as the second playoff team with the tiebreak over Gainesville.
• New York has managed to lose to all three teams that average under 70 points of production/week (Albuquerque rounds up to 70.)
• FYI... the HFA for the New York vs. Barrow (4-6) game was the highest ever, at 11.  
• 3 pts HFA
• 2 pts Championship HFA
• 3 pts Time Zone
• 3 pts Weather
• Over in the Western Conference, the only thing we do know is that Albuquerque (1-9) has been eliminated from the division race.  I don't think there's a way they could make the playoffs but I'm not calculating it.
• South Park (5-5) remains an enigma.  They are the fourth highest production team, fifth in the power rating, and are 13th in production against.  Yet, they are .500.  It appears that whenever it's close, they lose, but they blow out the other team when they do well.

Monday Night, Week 9

• South Bend  + 7 vs. New Orleans -- New Orleans has Mike Nugent tonight.  I think New Orleans gets an HFA.
• Barrow  + 12 vs. Charlotte Amalie -- Barrow is done.  Charlotte has Mendenhall, Heath Miller and Terrell Owens.  I think Charlotte gets win #3
• Baltimore +40 vs. Gainesville -- I don't think it's gonna matter how each of the players does.  Baltimore.
• Assuming the stats are correct, New York has won an HFA vs. Tacoma
• Laupahoehoe -25 vs. Toluca Lake -- Jeff Reed and Dhani Jones need to come up big, which they probably won't.  Toluca Lake
• Albuquerque -2 vs. Las Vegas -- Farrior for Albuquerque vs. Hines Ward and Ochocinco.  I think it's Las Vegas all the way.
• Sonoma +3 vs. South Park -- James Harrison and Cedric Benson vs Mike Wallace.  I think first TD wins and it'll be South Park.
• Tampa Bay -37 vs. Myrtle Beach -- Tampa has Ike Taylor, which won't be enough.  Myrtle Beach

Tuesday Recap

I'm doing this instead of my screenwriting homework.

• South Bend (5-3)  47  Tampa Bay (3-5) 26 --  This was no surprise.  Tampa Bay managed 80+ but was unable to win against the hottest team in the league.
• Toluca Lake (6-2) 19  Gainesville (4-4) 0 -- Toluca Lake keeps pace with Sonoma with this lackluster win.  Gainesville falls 2 games back.
• Myrtle Beach (6-2) 18  South Park (4-4) 3 -- Both teams were lackluster but Myrtle Beach prevailed to create distance in the Southeast.  South Park had an opportunity to create distance but now has Tacoma in shouting distance.
• Charlotte Amalie (2-6) 40  Baltimore (4-4) 11 -- Despite starting an injured QB, Charlotte put up 92 in this big win.  They are starting to turn around a bit.  Baltimore is showing the effects of injuries and byes.
• Tacoma (3-5) 30  Barrow (3-5) 0 -- 25 from Calvin Johnson set the pace as Tacoma didn't have to face 100 this week.  Barrow is showing some potential with Stafford beginning to play well.
• Sonoma (6-2) 3  Albuquerque (0-8) 0 -- Not a bad performance from either team, even if it's below average for Sonoma this year.  Albuquerque is not as bad as their record, and when their cap troubles are over could be dangerous.
• Las Vegas (5-3) 17  Laupahoehoe (4-4) 3 -- Laupahoehoe's defense failed them in this game, while Vegas's stepped up.  Both teams are trying to stay in the hunt for a wildcard, as it seems two will come from this division.
• New York (4-4) 12  New Orleans (5-3) 11 -- New Orleans' dismal offense matched against New York's dismal defense led to a New York victory.  40 of New York's 55 production came from three players (Janikowski, Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick).

The summary:

• Myrtle Beach put another game between them and Gainesville 
• South Bend and New Orleans are tied as they face off this week.
• With South Park playing Sonoma, Tacoma playing New York, and Barrow playing Charlotte Amalie, there could be a three way tie in the Mountain division after this weekend.
• The entire Southwest division could be swirled up if Sonoma and Toluca Lake lose and Las Vegas and Laupahoehoe win.
• The wildcard jockeying is intense in the east, with Baltimore, Gainesville and New York tied for the final spot.  Baltimore and New York have split and Gainesville has games left with both.