Evans World 2009 - Week 13

I've said it before, and I'll say it again ... this is probably the BEST Fantasy Football league I've ever played in. I've been playing for 11 years now, and never once has the playoffs come down to the final week with so many teams still in contention, and have the games so open. You should all feel very proud of the great Fantasy Football skills you've shown this season. I hope you'll all return again next year (especially you, Tony ... with a Yahoo! league, the world is flat. Living in DC is no excuse.).

But, all good things come to an end, and thus endeth our regular season. And what a finish it was. Big and close matchups, spoiler teams, surprise performances from players of every caliber ... I'm only sorry I didn't pay more attention.

BUT BRAD, WHY DIDN'T YOU PAY MORE ATTENTION?
I'm glad you asked. Simply put, I thought Tony was going to destroy me. And why not? Two of my best players, D. Williams and D. Jackson, both out. My best players playing tough teams. Tony's players looking to score big. Sunday morning, it was a done deal. Sitting in church, I didn't even bother to check the text messages with injury updates (yes, I usually do). By the end of the night, by the miracle of luck (something that has been absent from my life this past month) I came ahead and at one brief point looked to take the second place finish from Kevin. I'm happy to be in the playoffs and continue my second-place streak, but based on everything else I saw this season, there are ZERO guarantees of anything.

ONCE AGAIN WITH FEELING
As you've no doubt already seen, the playoffs are locked in. In an ironic twist of fate, the same matchups from Week 13 will meet in the first round of playoffs. I'm not sure if that is a nod to the greatness of our teams, the oddness of our fortunes, or if the universe is just twisting around itself in preparation for 12/12/2012. Whatever it is, the "battle" continues for another week. Tony, I've beaten you twice already ... why not make it 3? I'm sure Berk is very, very worried about playing Angi again. I'm sure Joel, Mike or Chris would be happy to take his place.

AND I THOUGHT MY LUCK WAS BAD
Poor Gary. I think that's about the 10th time I've said that this season. Last week it was true again. Going into the Monday night Ravens-Packers game, Gary had a healthy lead on Kevin who only had Finley left, while Gary sat nicely with Jennings left to play. Now, I don't know if you believe in jinxes, but something happened to Gary last night. Whether it was Nathan declaring Gary's win early or Gary announcing just as the game started "Finley is going to have a career night," but Finley did have an awesome night and gave Kevin the win and the solid #2 spot (yup, Brad's right again). With each catch and TD last night, I felt worse and worse for Gary and yet thrilled the Packers were playing so well. A tough end to a tough season. Don't worry, Gary is due. He'll be back next season and ready to exact revenge.

SHE IS WOMAN, HEAR HER ROAR
So, remember early on in the season when Angi was just racking up the points and we were all worried about her team? Yeah, it seems like a long time for me too. Well, she reminded us all this weekend what a good team she has and trampled all over Berk to make her first playoff appearance. Although if her luck holds as it has so far this season, her players will suck just enough next week to lose. Berk's team confuses me in their lack of consistency. You'd think players like his would rock all the time (as they did most of this season). I agree with the Yahoo! predictions ... it's going to be another close game between these two.

LAUGH AND POINT AGAIN, PEOPLE
For the second week in a row, Joel leaves a huge WR performance on the bench. Once again he didn't need it, finishing the season solid and just 1 win shy of the playoffs. But even still, not starting Ochocinco against the Lions? Everyone? All together now ... point ... and HAHA!

IT'S NOT EASY BEING 7-6
A valiant effort by Joel, Chris and Mike to fight for a playoff spot. With my massively feeble math skills I did not recognize the significant point total lead Tony had over you all. Perhaps you saw it and realized that there was little hope at all. Even still, Chris and Joel both finished strong with two big weeks and Mike's luck just ran out. Something telle ms that Chris will not be so reluctant to draft Rodgers, Joel will fight to get Brees and Mike will let Schaub just pass him bye next fall.

LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT ROB AND TOM
Moral victory, Rob? How's it feel? Yeah, I think the concept of a moral victory is just about as stupid as a tie in professional sports. Even still, good finish to what ended up a dismal season. Tom, I swear, if you spend some time this off-season watching NFL Network and learning more about these players, you'll be in the playoffs next year. Just do it!

IT'S GOOD TO BE A CHIEFS FAN
I know they played a pretty lousy game Sunday, but after watching it, if I were a Chiefs fan (Gary, Joel ... paying attention?) I would be very excited about where that team is going. Offensively, the pieces are starting to fit into place. I think they're 1-2 lineman away from a very potent offense not unlike what Haley put in place in Arizona. Defensively they obviously have the most work ahead of them, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some significant off-season moves (in a salary cap-free free agency) that will see improvement there. I don't expect the Chiefs to end at the bottom of the league next year. But, above all else, there is actual energy and excitement in Arrowhead again that hasn't been seen since the heydays of Priest Holmes.

IT SUCKS TO BE A BROWNS FAN
Wow, and I thought the Raiders were screwed up. At least they found a QB who can win a tough game. If you see/talk to Marshall, be sure to point that out to him.

YAHOO! CAN'T ADD
I've never seen the point totals fluctuate so much during the games and after Sunday night as they did this weekend. Yahoo! must have their third-string interns entering stats from the games. Sunday night I had a 2-point lead over Tony. The next day I lost 4 points. Just screwed up. Thankfully, the first-stringers came back Monday night and gave Mitchem his TD from the fumble recovery back and my true point total was restored.

AWARDS
BTW, I'm taking suggestions for awards for next season. I'm thinking of a few more bizarre ideas ...
Best Start of the Week - Finley redeems himself for last week. Definitely saved Kevin's bacon. I think Kevin might have had an aneurysm if I'd leapt over him into second place.
Worst Start of the Week - John Carney for Chris. I know I don't need to say it, but I will. If Chris had picked up Hartley before Mike did, that'd have been a win against the regular season winner.
Best Moment of the Week - Thank you, thank you, thank you White and Meachem. You both were supposed to have shitty weeks and then pulled out huge weeks for me. Hopefully Jackson will be back so the pressure doesn't destroy you.
The Berk Brown Funniest Moment of the Week - Check out the YouTube video of the Florida State offensive line not moving at ALL after seeing a defensive offsides penalty called. Awesome discipline on their part, but just weird to watch.
The Lawrence Philips Award - Adi Kunalic for that horrible, stupid, couldn't-have-come-at-a-worse-time kickoff that went out of bounds. In his career he's only done that once out of 216 kickoffs, but even still, Texas starting so close to mid-field with their awesome FG kicker was a knife in the back and a dumb, dumb play to make.

RANDOM THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK
- I love the T-Mobile commercial where the college Tuba player, decked out in full band uniform, explains why he loves his phone so much by saying "All the calls from the ladies." It just reminded me of Kevin.
- Who's my MVP this season? I don't think Favre's 2 INT hurt him that much. Looking at the impact he's had on the team and his awesome stats, I say he beats out Peyton Manning.
- Defensive MVP has got to go to Charles Woodson. That man by himself is more dangerous than the entire Bears defense. I wish Darren Sharper hadn't left the team years ago. Those two in Capers' 3-4 defense would have been awesome.
- I think this is the 2nd-3rd year in a row that the Huskers play their bowl game on my birthday. Weird. Good thing I don't really care much for birthdays. ;)
- Tiger Woods. Yawn.
- Do I think Kevin and Nathan are locks for the finals? Nope, and neither should they. All of the teams (yes, even Tony) are hitting a good stride right now. Nathan should be happy that the Patriots' record is so poor ... they'll keep playing Moss and Welker up to the end of the season.
- Nathan has made the playoffs each of the past 4 seasons. Even still, 2007 was the last time he appeared in the Championship Game.
- I'm very proud of the Heisman selection committee for inviting Suh to the ceremony this weekend. I think they are the only voting body in the NCAA that doesn't just follow the hype (although I'm sure many of their voters do because they don't know any better). Even still, there were more than plenty of offensive stars with great stats they could have invited. Nice of them to recognize that excellence can be achieved on both sides of the ball. Oh, yeah, last defensive player to win the Heisman? Charles Woodson. See above to remember how awesome he is.

Well, not much to watch this weekend, but be sure to root for me. Kevin, I'll see you in one week where I'll beat you again. Good luck to both Angi and Berk.