Phil Brody’s Commentary
Week Two Commentary: You & What Army?
I’ve never really understood weekly trash talking in fantasy football. Love the game, but, to me, trash talking within the game is like Napoleon Dynamite’s Uncle Rico wishing he could go back in time to “take State.” It’s inane.
It’s like every ploy hatched by a supervillain against any superhero. Futile.
Now, mind you, I boasted about my teams shortly after every one of my drafts, but that was when everything was on paper. Now it’s on TV, and it’s been mighty disheartening for me to watch. My teams aren’t doing well. Ugh. But that’s not why I refrain from trash talking once the season starts. I refrain because I feel the weekly outcome of games is a tad out of one’s control. Sure, we draft our teams and set our line-up, but, after that, the outcome belongs to the roto gods above.
This is a great game we play, one I spend way too much time analyzing and contemplating, but, come kickoff, it’s beyond my control. I’ve come to accept that. I wish I could control it more, but in reality, fantasy football kind of resembles the game Risk.
Remember Risk?
The description of the game (both games, actually) reads, “Isn’t it about time you ruled the world? In this combat classic, all you need to do is plan carefully, make decisions quickly and move boldly.”
Sounds great, but let’s read on.
“The outcome of battles is decided by rolling dice.”
Risk is the game of World Domination. Fantasy football is the game of League Domination. In both, you employ an army, set them on the battlefield and then you roll the die.
You roll the die.
So, how do you win fantasy football if it’s out of one’s control? Easy. You build a better army.
I’ve always been a fan of trading, of taking risk. To me, it a part of game, as much a part as drafting, setting your line-up and praying to the roto gods that Steve Smith suits up next week for the Panthers or that sports doctors happen upon a cure for tight hamstrings. Better yet, invent the hamstringetctomy -- which, by the way, will need to be an outpatient procedure.
But I digress. Trade. Improve your team. Build a better army. Sure, you might make mistakes, but that’s one to grow on.
A few years ago, I traded Kevin Barlow (the year Barlow became a late-season force), and ended up facing the team I traded him to (for Hines Ward) in the league’s championship. I lost the game. Moral of the story? I got to that championship game, having built a better army.
I was talking trade with a fellow owner in one league last week, but was inundated with these kinds of responses as I inquired about a player:
“Are you saying your WRs are better than mine? Mine out scored yours last week.”
“Winning starts with the front office. One must have a master plan and be willing to follow through, while being honest enough to recognize when change is necessary. So far, I believe in my system, the players I drafted.”
“If I don't believe in the team I drafted, then why draft?”
“Not interested.”
Spoken like a true winner at a press conference for and about winners. Too bad the team is 0-2.
Moral of the story: Don’t be afraid to trade. You’re smarter than that. Don’t think you’re getting ripped off. You’re smarter than that. If you trade, don’t get ripped off. You’re smarter than that.
Build a better army. It’s the smart thing to do.
------
REAL LEAGUE THOUGHTS: Peyton, Carson and Donovan look like heroes. A few more weeks of heroic actions like that might earn them the label of superheroes. Grossman had a heroic day, but he’s not being labeled a hero just yet.
Other could-be heroes: Eli, Burress, Toomer, Stallworth, Pennington, Coles, Driver, Bryant. Lots of mid/late rounds gold there.
Frank Gore runs like a villain. If he continues, he will enter supervillain status very quickly. LT already runs like a supervillain, but this we knew.
Other villains: Rudi, Chester Taylor, Mike Vick.
It’s early, but Plummer’s throwing the ball much like Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite. Without that elusive time machine, that’s not good.
------
RANT OF THE WEEK: Anyone/everyone see that commercial for NFL Replay? I could not believe my eyes, my ears when I first saw it, then I got to see it about 15 more times during Sunday’s games. Ugh! Who directed that ad? Same guy that directed Moulin Rouge? Looked like it.
“I’m going to kick your a** this weekend.”
“Yeah? You and what army?”
“Yeah? You and what army?”
I’ve never really understood weekly trash talking in fantasy football. Love the game, but, to me, trash talking within the game is like Napoleon Dynamite’s Uncle Rico wishing he could go back in time to “take State.” It’s inane.
It’s like every ploy hatched by a supervillain against any superhero. Futile.
Now, mind you, I boasted about my teams shortly after every one of my drafts, but that was when everything was on paper. Now it’s on TV, and it’s been mighty disheartening for me to watch. My teams aren’t doing well. Ugh. But that’s not why I refrain from trash talking once the season starts. I refrain because I feel the weekly outcome of games is a tad out of one’s control. Sure, we draft our teams and set our line-up, but, after that, the outcome belongs to the roto gods above.
This is a great game we play, one I spend way too much time analyzing and contemplating, but, come kickoff, it’s beyond my control. I’ve come to accept that. I wish I could control it more, but in reality, fantasy football kind of resembles the game Risk.
Remember Risk?
The description of the game (both games, actually) reads, “Isn’t it about time you ruled the world? In this combat classic, all you need to do is plan carefully, make decisions quickly and move boldly.”
Sounds great, but let’s read on.
“The outcome of battles is decided by rolling dice.”
Risk is the game of World Domination. Fantasy football is the game of League Domination. In both, you employ an army, set them on the battlefield and then you roll the die.
You roll the die.
So, how do you win fantasy football if it’s out of one’s control? Easy. You build a better army.
I’ve always been a fan of trading, of taking risk. To me, it a part of game, as much a part as drafting, setting your line-up and praying to the roto gods that Steve Smith suits up next week for the Panthers or that sports doctors happen upon a cure for tight hamstrings. Better yet, invent the hamstringetctomy -- which, by the way, will need to be an outpatient procedure.
But I digress. Trade. Improve your team. Build a better army. Sure, you might make mistakes, but that’s one to grow on.
A few years ago, I traded Kevin Barlow (the year Barlow became a late-season force), and ended up facing the team I traded him to (for Hines Ward) in the league’s championship. I lost the game. Moral of the story? I got to that championship game, having built a better army.
I was talking trade with a fellow owner in one league last week, but was inundated with these kinds of responses as I inquired about a player:
“Are you saying your WRs are better than mine? Mine out scored yours last week.”
“Winning starts with the front office. One must have a master plan and be willing to follow through, while being honest enough to recognize when change is necessary. So far, I believe in my system, the players I drafted.”
“If I don't believe in the team I drafted, then why draft?”
“Not interested.”
Spoken like a true winner at a press conference for and about winners. Too bad the team is 0-2.
Moral of the story: Don’t be afraid to trade. You’re smarter than that. Don’t think you’re getting ripped off. You’re smarter than that. If you trade, don’t get ripped off. You’re smarter than that.
Build a better army. It’s the smart thing to do.
------
REAL LEAGUE THOUGHTS: Peyton, Carson and Donovan look like heroes. A few more weeks of heroic actions like that might earn them the label of superheroes. Grossman had a heroic day, but he’s not being labeled a hero just yet.
Other could-be heroes: Eli, Burress, Toomer, Stallworth, Pennington, Coles, Driver, Bryant. Lots of mid/late rounds gold there.
Frank Gore runs like a villain. If he continues, he will enter supervillain status very quickly. LT already runs like a supervillain, but this we knew.
Other villains: Rudi, Chester Taylor, Mike Vick.
It’s early, but Plummer’s throwing the ball much like Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite. Without that elusive time machine, that’s not good.
------
RANT OF THE WEEK: Anyone/everyone see that commercial for NFL Replay? I could not believe my eyes, my ears when I first saw it, then I got to see it about 15 more times during Sunday’s games. Ugh! Who directed that ad? Same guy that directed Moulin Rouge? Looked like it.
posted by Phil Brody at
10:56 AM
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