Week 17: Finger Bowl 16 preview

SERKUS ACT (9-7) at BELLAGIO CARD SHARKS (9-6-1)
At Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, Las Vegas, Nev.


Previous meeting: Sharks 35, Serkus 30 (Week 2); Serkus 53, Sharks 30 (Week 9)
Playoff records: Serkus owner Goff 3-8, Sharks owner Wanberg 1-3
The skinny: Serkus owner Stan Goff is the longest active Finks owner without a Finger Bowl championship (15 years). Goff lost Finger Bowls in 2000 and 2002... Sharks owner D.J. Wanberg makes his first Finger Bowl appearance in 13 years as an owner... This will be the second consecutive Finks League playoff game played at the Silver Bowl in as many weeks.
Probable starters: Serkus -- Romo, Barber, Mendenhall, R. Moss, V. Jackson, Kaeding. Sharks -- Brees, T. Jones, Buckhalter, Fitzgerald, Holmes, K. Brown.
The pick: Serkus 42, Sharks 38.

Week 16 Semifinal boxscores

Division runner-ups ruled the day in Week 16. Congrats to Finger Bowl 16 teams Sharks and Serkus.

SEMIFINAL
Serkus (44)
QB Romo DAL 8
RB Barber DAL 6
RB Mendenhall PIT 6
WR R. Moss NE 18
WR V. Jackson SD zero
PK Kaeding SD 6

Newt (29)
QB P. Manning IND zero
RB C. Johnson TEN 11
RB Wells AZ 6
WR Wayne IND zero
WR Welker NE 5
PK Bironas TEN 7

SEMIFINAL
Sharks (45)
QB Brees NO 8
RB T. Jones NYJ 11
RB Buckhalter DEN zero
WR Fitzgerald AZ 6
WR Holmes PIT 9
PK K. Brown HOU 11

Posse (34)
QB Brady NE 17
RB R. Williams MIA zero
RB R. Rice BAL 5
WR H. Ward PIT zero
WR Austin DAL 3
PK Carpenter MIA 9

Posse owner: "Rice, Rice, Brady"

LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas Posse captain Tom Brady demanded a new team after an 0-3 start and got a completely rebuilt roster, as he is the lone holdover from Week 1 heading into the Finks League playoffs.  Posse owner Matt Simo listened to Brady's request and not only wheeled and dealed throughout the season to bring in RB Ray Rice, RB Mike Bell and WR Hines Ward via trades, but he also grabbed key contributors like WR Miles Austin and WR Sidney Rice off the waiver wire.

 

"Our motto down the stretch was Rice, Rice, Brady," Simo said in comparing his team to an old Vanilla Ice song.  "Tom wanted a new team, and I gave it to him.  If a guy like Mason Crosby missed field goals, he was gone.  Now Brady's just got to step up and help us to win a championship." 

 

The Posse ended up winning the Madden division despite back-to-back 3-point games from Brady to wrap up the regular season.  Regardless, he figures to hold off Alex Smith for the starting spot in the semifinals.  However, Simo warned that nobody's job is safe right now, and there could be some lineup surprises in store when his team suits up against the Bellagio Card Sharks at the Las Vegas Silver Bowl.

 

"I've heard some people compare me to Jerry Jones," Simo said.  "But instead of building a $1 billion stadium, I rolled the dice on acquiring an entirely new team around Brady, and now we're in the playoffs.  We've built a winner here in Vegas, and I couldn't be any prouder of any team."

Week 15 review

Goff: "My mediocre team seems to save its best for taking on Chris' Barrels...
I'm reporting a 64-41 win thanks to 30 points from my 2 Chargers (17 V. Jackson, 13 Kaeding)...if it's any consolation Chris, I suffered a Yahoo-3rd tiebreaker gut-wrenching semifinal playoff loss in another league...thanks to Andrian Peterson's TD I tied my opponent (but a little more out of him would have been nice)...then Yahoo went into its computer formulas and eventually determined I lost and am now playing for third place...Merry Christmas all Finksers and families."

Simo: "I just checked and found that the Posse is the only team in the league to score at least 30 points in every game this season."

Week 16 Semifinal previews

SERKUS ACT (8-7) at EYE OF NEWT (11-4)
At Russell J. Halloran Sports and Recreation Complex, Newton, Mass.

Previous meeting: Newt 48, Serkus 37 (Week 8)
Playoff records: Serkus owner Goff 3-3, Newt owner Newton 3-3.
The skinny: Newt finished with the league's best record, a career-high 11 wins for owner Jeff Newton. Newton has won 10 games in a season three times. Newt's season total of 693 points was the most since Quags' 759 in 2007... Newton is eyeing a third Finger Bowl appearance after losses in 2004 and 2006... Newton previous won division titles in 03, 04 and 06. In his eighth year, Newton has made the playoffs four times, previously in 2003-04, 06... Goff's seventh playoff appearance ties Traczek for second all-time among Finks owners. Simo is in the playoffs for a record-setting eighth time this season. Goff's previous playoff appearances were in 95, 99, 01, 02, 05, 06.
Starting lineups: Serkus -- Romo, Barber, Mendenhall, R. Moss, V. Jackson, Kaeding. Newt -- P. Manning, C. Johnson, Wells, Wayne, Welker, Bironas.
The pick: Newt 55, Serkus 35.

BELLAGIO CARD SHARKS (8-6-1) at LAS VEGAS POSSE (8-7)
At Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, Las Vegas, Nev.

Previous meeting: Posse 41, Sharks 27 (Week 8)
Playoff records: Sharks owner Wanberg 0-3, Posse owner Simo 8-4.
The skinny: Simo is the winningest Finks owner in the postseason despite taking the last three years off from the league. Simo ranks third all-time in wins with 116, behind Traczek's 127 and Goff's 117.... After starting the season 0-3, Simo changed over his roster with free-agent pickups and trades. His only original player from the preseason auction is QB Brady NE. Simo won Finger Bowls in 1997 and 2002... He makes a record-setting eighth playoff appearance... Wanberg's only previous playoff appearances were in 2001 and 2004.
Probable starters: Sharks -- Brees, T. Jones, Buckhalter, Fitzgerald, Holmes, K. Brown. Posse -- Brady, R. Rice, R. Williams, H. Ward, S. Rice, Carpenter.
The pick: Posse 40, Sharks 32.

Week 15: Around the league

Simo's Posse:
"I had a 47-37 win for the HNE with former Posse & Henry QB Aaron Rodgers winning Player of the Week honors with a 24-point performance.Simo's Posse: "

 

Fortunately, I still scored 30+ points yet again and should be able to sneak into the playoffs.  I should win any tie-breaker scenarios based on most points scored in the division.  Anyway, kudos to the Eggers since I think they were the only team to beat me twice..."

Week 14 review -- "You've got to be kidding me."

As expected, it's an unbelievable toss up to determine playoff teams this year from the Madden Division.

Week 15 games to keep an eye on:

• Eggers (4-10) vs. Posse (8-6)
• Newt (10-4) vs. vb5ds (8-6)
• Serkus (7-7) vs. Barrels (7-7)

The loser between Serkus-Barrels is eliminated from playoff consideration. A Posse win and vb5ds win would give those teams a playoff berth.

Congrats to Sharks owner D.J. Wanberg on clinching the runner-up playoff spot from the Cosell Division. Just a reminder, does everyone know that Wednesday is the final day from free-agent pickups and that Thursday's kickoff ends the trading deadline? Good luck to our playoff teams.

Week 13 Around the League

Comments from owners around the league in Week 13:

Eggers' Miazga: "I believe I lost 50-47 to Wanberg.(Needed another TD pass from Rodgers, or starting Roy Williams at WR would have helped)...that would be five losses of 4 or fewer points and 6 losses of 9 or less points this season for the 4-9 Eggers."

 

Serkus' Goff: "Very tough Cowboys outcome for me...but Romo did at least carry the Serkus Act to a 48-30 win over the Hurricanes withis 3-TD, almost-400-yard effort....I'm waiting for Marion Barber to do anything since my trade for him...while I was not using Welker prior to the trade...I wish I had him the last three weeks as Vincent Jackson has recorded three straight goose eggs once he was no longer being pushed in my lineup by Welker.

Oh well...at least I am now able to pencil two starting RBs into my lineup each week, even if one of them is no longer productive."

 

--30-- 

 

 

Week 13 review

Congrats to Newt owner Jeff Newton on clinching his fourth division title, all of them for playoff berths, despite losing 42-25 to the Barrels in Week 13. Newt holds a two-game lead over the Sharks with two weeks remaining, but holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Sharks.

Rookie owner Joanna Terracciano holds a one-game lead over the Posse and Serkus in a Madden Division race that seemingly will be decided in the final week. Please check the Web site home page for the new note on deadlines for free-agent moves and trade deadlines.

All-decade Fantasy Football Team

The Mac Bros. at Fantasy Football Forecast threw out their selections for an All-decade fantasy team. Any suggestions you would like to see? I know I'd put RB Alexander SEA higher up. I'm not sure about PK Wilkins STL when PK Elam DEN was so good for me for so many years.

Week 12 review

Shout out to Posse owner Matt Simo, who has asked what the tiebreakers are heading into the playoffs. I have now listed them at http://sites.google.com/site/finksleague/home/stands-2. I can tell Simo is worried in a Madden Division pack with at least two teams at 6-6, one of them the Posse. I'm still awaiting a Week 12 result from vb5ds vs. Quags. There could be a three-way tie in the Madden with three matches remaining. Yikes.

Newt needs one more win to clinch the Cosell Division title. It's still a toss up for second place.

No Week 12 Around the league this week. I'll share the following from the Eggers:

"I've lost four games by 4 or less points (22-18; 36-33; 43-39; 37-33) and five games by 9 or less points (60-51 loss).....one player does something more for me in those four or less games and I'm in the driver's seat in the division, two of those games are different and I'm right in the thick of it....at least this week's win gives me more wins than the 08 and 07 seasons (back-to-back 3-win campaigns)."

 

Week 11 review

With help from RB Charles KC's 97-yard kickoff return, Henry was able to post the season's first tie, 34-34, against the Brawlers. In the matchup of the week for Week 12, Newt (8-3) could clinch a share of the Cosell Division title with a victory over the second place Sharks (6-5). The Madden Division? Who knows. Time to breakout the tiebreakers?

Combining and Around the League entry. Enjoy this missive from Barrels owner Chris Traczek:

"This game was a textbook example of how fantasy football can be so exciting--and infuriating.

I went into Monday's game with a 42-32 lead with DJ having kicker Kris Brown on tap for the Texans. I was feeling pretty confident as the teams went to the half tied 14-14. I was still OK when Brown kicked a 25-yard FG to draw DJ within 42-37 in the third quarter. That's when it got exciting/ulcer-inducing. I let out a whoop when Brown missed a 48-yard FG in third quarter, but then watched in horror as the Texans lined up for a 49-yarder with 6 seconds left. Imagine my joy (and DJ's disgust) as that potential game-tying kick (both in reality and in Finksland) sailed wide left, gifting me the victory, and eliminating the chance that Brown would kick a game-winning FG (again, in realty and Finksland) in overtime.

And now, the rest of the (infuriating) story. DJ has to be despondent not only at Brown's misses, but also knowing that if he had started Robbie Gould on Sunday night against the Eagles, he would have totaled 16 additional points and wrapped up the win without having to worry about Monday's game. If DJ had started Gould, I, on the other hand, would have been the one on suicide watch as I wondered why I didn't start Carson Palmer, Kevin Smith, Calvin Johnson and Lawrence Tynes, who combined for 22 more points this week than McNabb, Jacobs, Marshall and Graham posted.

You see, exciting--and infuriating."

Thursday lineups and a Vegas trip

Thanks for a lively debate on the issue of handing in partial Thursday lineups. There seems to be enough interested owners that would like to send partial lineups on Thursdays. I believe it will be time for another vote on the matter in the offseason.

I did not find as many people interested in taking the Finks League on an all-Web site such as Yahoo or FoxSports. I could still use more input from existing owners that use these sites in their other leagues.

There is one thing we can seem to all agree on. The nine Chicagoland owners would love to fly to Vegas and party with Posse owner Matt Simo, who already lives out there. Last time I was in Vegas, Matt came out to see me in my hotel room. I think DJ Wanberg suggested the Bellagio. It would be cool. It's fantasy football, and perhaps fantasy life. Future Finks League owners meetings at the Bellagio while I'm fantasizing.

Here are some memorable comments on the Thursday lineup debate:

Sharks' Wanberg:
"I don't remember if this has been proposed before or not. But I think a rule change for next season is to allow teams to announce only the players that are playing on Thursday and Saturday and announce the rest of the lineup on Sunday."

Serkus' Goff: 
"Klatt proposed that before and you know what happened to him....just kidding. Actually I mentioned this last year. It does seem to penalize a team that may have one guy going tonight, but who may then learn on Sat. that a player at a different position is being scratched...but you can't do anything about it."

Posse's Simo:
"I third this motion and am not really sure what the big deal is about not allowing people to turn in the rest of their lineups later.  The key point is that they can't change a guy who has already played for them, right?  I'm in a Yahoo league that lets you do this, so why can't we do it this way?"

Week 10 Around the league

From Serkus: "I actually sold myself - and Romo -- short a couple points. The Cowboys offense was horrible all night - very few first downs and very few yards...but somehow Romo got to 251 yards and had the late TD, so I guess he earned me 8 points, not 6...so as of now I should have a 28-26 lead on Joanna. Point will be moot if McGahee does anything against the bad Browns."

Week 10 review

The Week 10 matchup of the week between the Posse (5-5) and first place Serkus (6-4) should help clear up the playoff picture in the Madden Division. Newt continues to forge ahead in the Cosell Division with a one game lead over the Sharks. Congrats to the Barrels, who snapped a four-game losing streak in Week 10.

Do the Bears get a free pass?

From the fans, that is. I would be curious to hear from the couple of Bears season ticket holders in our little Finks army. Why do the Bears deserve so much support from this city? There was a time when I was kid in this town that I wondered why Chicago did not have an AFC team. When I read more about Halas, Bears history and the McCaskey family, I realized that would never happen. They've got the dynasty in this town and would never be willing to share it.

I guess like any other team, you learn to take the good and the bad. Currently, it's bad and I don't know when it will get better. Just a few years ago, it must have been pretty good. Because the Bears are the only show in town, I guess they can do no wrong. No matter how poorly the organization is run, Soldier Field will always sell out and sports talk radio stations are constantly hoping for "Civic Pride Mondays" to feed their ratings. I've got to be realistic and learn that the Bears will never become the Jaguars, who are unable to fill their stadium due to a poor economy and no playoff appearances. Most JAX games are not sold out, and thus blacked out in eastern Florida.

At least the jokes are starting to roll in for the Bad News Bears. My extended buddies out there don't know whether I am a Bears fan or not. (I'm not.) But I guess everybody on a contact list is starting to get these:

COURT RULING
Chicago Illinois, 11/09/2009 
(AP)

A seven year old boy was at the center of a Chicago courtroom drama today when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him.

The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with the child custody law and regulations requiring that family unity be maintained to the degree possible.

The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat  him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her.  
   
When the judge suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried out that they also beat him.

After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the Judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.  
   
After two recesses to check legal references and confer child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Chicago Bears, who the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.

Week 9 review

Newt holds on to first place in the Cosell Division, the Barrels have lost four in a row in the Madden Division, and other than that the rest of us can't figure out who we are. Is this the season where two to three tiebreakers will be needed to determine playoff teams? I left the tiebreaker chart on the old Tripod Finks Web site, but will soon get it back and post it somewhere on the new Web site.

How are you guys enjoying the new Web site? Anyways, the new rash of Thursday NFL games should make things very interesting. It forces owners to send in a lineup long in advance of Sunday games if you are using a Thursday player. Former Finks owner Paul Klatt tried to pull an end-round by wanting to just give his opponent one name for a Thursday game and then send the rest of his lineup later, but I didn't think that was fair to his opponent. Injury reports are bogus now days, but it's going to be even more important to stay on top of injury news earlier in the week now.

At least with our new AT&T U-verse, my wife and I have the NFL Network. That was not the case with Comcast.

The mystery of Power Polls

It seems like everyone who covers the NFL has a Power Poll. When did these things start popping up? It must have been a product of the internet craze. I found at least three sports Web sites that have NFL Power Polls. I'm sure there are more, but I didn't have the patience to seek them out. When I have more time, I should compare them side by side. I found:

Sporting News

FOXSports.com

ProFootballTalk/NBC

I bring this up because all three polls have the Saints ranked No. 1. Since Power Polls have only been around for perhaps the last 10 years, this is the first time I can recall the Saints ever being No. 1. I go back to following the Jim Finks Saints of Bobby Hebert, Eric Martin, Dalton Hilliard, Morton Andersen and even the Dome Patrol defense of Rickey Jackson, Vaughn Johnson, Sam Mills and Pat Swilling.The Who Dats are one win away from equaling their best start in franchise history, which last occurred in 1991 when we didn't have the internet or Power Polls. I don't think Power Polls are necessary. Aren't they just a listing of the standings in reverse order? No one truly knows if the Saints or Colts deserve to be 1-2 until they play each other, which won't happen in the regular season so it's possible that will be determined in the Super Bowl. The Saints' next big game is hosting the Patriots on MNF later this month. Beating the Falcons was big and N.O. doesn't play Atlanta again until after the Pats game.

If you're looking for a Finks League Power Poll, go ahead and assume that 6-2 Newt is at the top of the list. After that, I can make a list like these guys, but it would just a guess wouldn't it?

Week 8 review

In another round of crossover games, the Cosell Division trumped the Maddens 4-1. The Posse were the only Madden winners with a 41-27 victory over the Sharks. Week 9 is the last of the midseason crossovers. There is one more week left, Week 13, before the end of the regular season.

Behind Week 8 MVP RB C. Johnson TEN and QB P. Manning IND, Newt is taking over control of the Cosell Division with a sparkling 6-2 record.

Fantasy football sitcom premieres tonight

Can you find comedy out of a bunch of misfits playing fantasy football together? You sure can if you had Paul Klatt in your cast. FX is giving it a go without Paul at 9:30 p.m. (CT) with the premiere of "The League." Sun-Times critic Paige Wiser gives her review. Given the state of sitcoms on TV, my hopes are high, which could be a dangerous thing.

Week 7 review

The Madden Division is as jumbled as ever before with some teams at 4-3 and others at 3-4. Simo's Posse have dug themselves out of a hole with a victory over Henry to gain some respectability in the Madden race.

The playoff picture in the Cosell Division is starting get clearer. Newt and Sharks (5-2 each) have two-game leads over their closest rivals. Newt and the Sharks appear difficult to catch. Is there any wonder that each of the quarterbacks are P. Manning and Brees?

Stan in the New York Times

In a different century, Serkus owner Stan Goff (pictured with Trixie) left newspapers behind to join the high-profile world of industry publications. He is still a stringer for the Daily Herald, so it's been hard for him to leave sports totally behind, but as the editor of a dentistry mag, Goff was recently quoted in the New York Times.

 

What would John Madden do?

Take a look at the Finks League's current standings in the Madden Division.

During a game, a FOX Sports director pulls up the graphic of the Madden Division on Madden's monitor. Madden yells: "Look here, you see this?"

Madden takes his telestrator pen and circles the Las Vegas Posse: 2-4. "You see here? The Posse? They're are not out of it."

No shit John, the Posse are only one game back in a five-team division that features, get this, a four-way tie for first place. You've got to be kidding me. Madden erases his circle around the Posse. Then he scrawls circles around the remaining teams in the divison, all 3-3 entering Week 7.

"You see this? The rest of the teams in the division? It could be anbody's division to win. Boom. Bam," Madden says, missing the Thank you, Ma'm.

Madden was never known for insight. He made millions as a commentator with schtick, and a good agent that slapped his name on a popular video game. I wonder what Cris Collinsworth would have to say about the current state of the Finks League's Madden Division?

Week 6: Around the league

Serkus owner Stan Goff: "(Chris you obviously caught me on a bad week...pretty sure I was last in the league in points scored prior to Moss breaking out in the snow and then Kaeding adding 16 points last night).

Think Larry Johnson scored a season-high (first) 3 points for me and so I won even with a a giant goose egg from my QB."


Barrels owner Chris Traczek: "Just a typical week that proves why fantasy football can be so (John) maddening. Moss does nothing for 5 weeks, then has 3 TDs and 125 receiving yards in the week I'm playing him, in a snow/ice storm no less, while Stan probably would have started Folk if Dallas wasn't on a bye, then ends up getting 16 points from his second-string kicker. It wouldn't have mattered since my team was so bad this week, with the Eagles (and McNabb) laying an egg against Oakland, Steven Jackson now going 6 weeks without sniffing the end zone, Anquan Boldin falling just short of receiving yards again and Brandon Jacobs losing a TD thanks to a phantom holding call.

I'd like to think this stuff evens out and I'll win (or have won, in the past) a week like this somewhere down the line, but you can't help but feel it's probably like baseball--more line drives seem to be caught than bloops fall in (unless you're the Minnesota Twins)."

 

Goff responds: "I didn't see ANY of this coming....I figured McNabb eats up a Raiders team that just gave up 44 to the Giants; Jacobs gets you 1 or 2 TDs in a shootout with the Saints and I get my usual minimal output from my backfield and so far, very little from Moss. Can't believe I've gone 6 weeks without a legitimate RB (much less two) and I'm somehow 3-3. (It is a little like the Twins winning yet another division title even after one of their top hitters gets injured with weeks still left to play)."

Week 6 review

Where are the dominant teams in the Finks League this season? On the flip side, is there a truly hideous team? Simo's Posse is off to a slow start, but does anybody believe that one of the winningest owners in the League won't turn things around. Simo is a proven master of the free-agent pickup. I am always worried about parity due to the Finks League's auction-bid process rather than draft. It looks like Dah Commish has nothing to worry about this season.

In Week 6, first place Newt lost and last place Posse won to tighten things up in the division races. Newt was victimized by player of the week runner-up Quags RB Jones-Drew JAX's 23 Finks points on the weekend. The Posse chose well going with QB Brady NE over QB Rodgers GB in Week 6. Brady paid off with a weekend-high 25 points powered by his six TD passes against TEN.

Week 7 is the first of three weeks in the middle of the season devoted to cross-over play between the Cosells and Maddens. You will see some repeat matches, but stay calm. Week 7 and Week 9 are randomly picked games among crossovers. Week 8 is part of the regular rotation. It's confusing, but somewhere along the way it works out. Former Finks League owner Bill Stone came up with the league schedule. Anyone who has ever met Stone, realizes he knows his stuff.

Good luck to you all.

Week 5: Around the league

Serkus owner Stan Goff: "I'm guessing Michael Turner put up big points for someone....I'll do my result in a minute...think I may have snapped a 3-game losing streak thanks in large part to Maurice Leggett's inability to wrap up Miles Austin on two long TDs....in a matter of minutes Romo went from another Fantasy stinker to 350 yards and two scores....

Speaking of Leggett, here he is with Ryan after being named the Chiefs top rookie last year...a real nice guy and last year he scored a couple TDs on interceptions and fake field goals botched by the Raiders....but on Sunday Austin slipped away from him twice and each time also broke away from former Bear Mike Brown.

"Thanks to Braylon Edwards getting a TD on his first catch with his new team, I pulled out a 36-32 victory over vb5ds. Got my usual ZERO from Larry Johnson (despite 21 carries) and got another disappointing showing from Randy Moss (1 catch), but somehow managed to pull out the win, which would not have been possible if the Cowboys had not blown a lead to KC in the final minute of regulation....Romo's yardage and TD in OT was the difference. Big Ben had 14 points to lead the way for Joanna, while Romo got me 13 points."


Barrels owner Chris Traczek: "Thanks to staunch defensive stand by the Arizona Cardinals, the Creighton Barrels held off the Ham N Eggers 36-33 this week in Finks League action."

Week 5 review

I can't remember the last time one of my Shakespeare teams won a big match. Thanks to Player of the Week RB Turner ATL, who finally broke out with 21 points, I was able to topple undefeated Newt 50-26. With four players going in MNF, I wasn't sure what to make of Newt's possible comeback in the weekend. It quickly became apparent, however, that the Titans could not match up to the Colts. The most amazing thing was that my QB Rivers SD was on the bye week and he came into the weekend as my highest Finks points scorer. Wow.

So this is what winning three in a row feels like? My Chris Henry V started out 0-2 and suddenly we're chasing down Cosell Division leading Newt. Of course, the good feeling could end with a loss to the Sharks in Week 6. So it goes livin' the high life in the Finks League.

Missing in action

Did you know vb5ds owner Joanna Terraciano led the league with 64 Finks points in Week 5 despite having both PK Elam ATL and PK Akers PHI on the bye? Now, that's getting it done. The rookie boss is off to a 3-1 start after beating BF/fellow teacher/defending Finks champ Kris Herigodt in Week 5.

More Goff news

Serkus Act owner Stan Goff believes he was going to be quoted on a recent New York Times story on dentistry. Stan edits for Modern Hygienist. If anyone finds it, please send Dah Commish the link.

A perfect storm of Finks League coaches

We are everywhere. Serkus Act owner Stan Goff, a stringer for the Daily Herald, covered a recent Aurora Central-Montini girls volleyball match and was surrounded by Finks League owners on both sides of the court. Here's how Goff tells it: "I went to Aurora Central Catholic Monday for a volleyball match (and breast cancer awareness fundraiser that was supposed to include an appearance from Greg Olsen, but instead his brother showed)...but as it turns out, me and two other Finks owners were on hand....Chris was there watching his daughters play for the sophomore and varsity Chargers squads, and Joanna was there as an asst. coach for Montini...."

Week 4 review

With a pair of Co-players of the week and another 13 Finks points on Monday night from QB Rodgers GB, Simo's Posse became the last winless team to pick up a victory. Simo crushed the Barrels 53-37. Simo's Week 3 trade to pick up Rodgers finally paid off. It seems hard to believe, but Simo has gone with Rodgers in back-to-back matches and he has sit down QB Brady NE to do it.

Eye of Newt remains the last undefeated team in the league. Newt still has a ways to go to equal Mike Wilcox's league record for nine consecutive wins in 1995. I would have to check the schedule page from the year, but I also believe Wilcox's record was established with a season-opening streak much like Newton's.

Your favorite NFL teams

Thanks for your input on your favorite NFL teams. I wanted to use the info in some way with the new "NFL news" page I had for the Finks League Web site. However, I do not know what's wrong with the Google gadgets I added to provide brief news around the NFL by division. I am having trouble with some of the divisions downloading. As a space filler, I added a gadget box off Google called NFL Photos. What I did not know is that many of the photos were ridiculous pics of "eye candy" cheerleaders. I thought the feature would only have pictures of actual NFL action.

Since I have no use for cheerleaders (NFL, college, high school and especially youth football), that box has been replaced. Cheerleaders are an awful sexist remnant from the 1950s. If my daughters are interested in football some day, I would rather have them play defensive back or wide receiver than standing on the sideline. I don't think I could handle going to games -- because my daughter is a cheerleader? There could not possibly be any parents out there that would attend a youth football game to see the cheerleaders? That would be like being a band parent at Friday night high school football games, who leave after the halftime show.

I digress, as usual. When asking Finks owners about their favorite teams, I did not know Dick Quagliano and Jeff Newton are Bears season ticket holders. Do they sit near each other? Just wondering.

Chris Traczek was by far the most passionate Finks owner about his team from the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes.


"Teams I hate: Cowboys, Raiders, Steelers, Dolphins--mainly any teams that beat the Vikes in a Super Bowl (the last three) or won a playoff game in an extremely lucky fashion (Cowboys in 'Hail Mary' game) during my formative years in the 1970s. I was too young to remember the SB loss to the Chiefs, though I do get a knot in my stomach when they show the NFL Films footage of the overly smug Hank Stram laughing at them in SB IV. He deserved to later coach the hideous 1976-77 Saints (sorry, George)," according to Traczek.

New Finks Web site page

I like trying out new things. With Google gadgets, our new Finks Web site page gives you brief news from around the NFL. Try it out.

Week 3: Around the league

Eggers owner Miazga: "Brawlers 22, Eggers 18 in the intra-household match-up

 

If I miss the playoffs by 1 game, this will be the game that does me in. Prater (K) from Den I had in the lineup until the very last second, but decided to go with Bironas (TEN) based on some fantasy Web site rankings. Prater scores 13 to Bironas' 6. Pierre Thomas (17 points), DeSean Jackson (11 points) and Ray Rice (6 points) also sat on my bench. A total of 58 points sat on my bench (all 6 back-ups scored), while marquee guys like D. Williams, Slaton, A. Johnson and Colston combine for 6 points."

Week 3 review

In the first of five weeks of crossover play, the Cosell Division showed some swagger with a 4-1 advantage in Week 3. The only Cosell loser was the Sharks with a 43-16 defeat to vb5ds. Cosell Division leader Eye of Newt (3-0) is the league's only undefeated team, and also its highest scoring with 144 points on the season.

Crossover play does not begin again until Week 7.

The dreaded byes begin in Week 4. One day if I get that promotion I've dreamed about and become Roger Goddell's successor -- Dah "Really Big" Commish -- I will get rid of the byes, move the Jaguars to L.A. and expand the regular season two weeks by dumping the last two weeks of the exhibition season.

Sunday morning NFL shows

It's Sunday morning. The wife and two of the three kids haven't returned from church. I still have to vacuum the basement and I'm scrambling to find out if RB Westbrook PHI will play in Week 3. Where do I go? How about all five NFL pregame shows. It give me a headache as the NFL pundits, not to be confused with Meet the Press or Face the Nation pundits, tell me that my WR Cotchery NYJ will have a huge game. But how does anyone really know that?

Where do you turn to -- TV wise -- on Sunday mornings? I'm trying out a poll format to the right. Please vote as many times as you wish. After all, it's Chicagoland.

Old rivals pull off season's first trade

The old wheeler-dealer rep of Posse owner Matt Simo has returned in a big way after the original Finks owner came back to the league after a three-year layoff. Simo and Dah Commish pulled off the season's first trade Friday with a four-player deal.

Dah Commish has been trying to peddle QB Rodgers GB since discovering that both his QBs have an upcoming bye in Week 5. Dah Commish agreed to send Rodgers to the Posse for TE Clark IND and QB Quinn CLE. The Posse also acquired TE Witten DAL in the deal.

Dah Commish's Chris Henry V fix their QB bye-week dilemma and Simo gains a favorable backup to starter QB Brady NE.

Looking for www.helmet-depot.com

Presenting more behind-the-scenes insight into being your loyal and esteemed Commish. I was prepared, though not as well as I would have liked, for the change over from Tripod.com to our new Web site home. However, what I never saw coming was the disappearance of the helmet-depot.com Web site.

One day I was looking at new helmet logos for our new owners. The next day, the site was gone without a trace. No message, no error, no explanation. Just gone. Nothing but blank space. The site had hundreds of cool logos on football helmets, all them original -- meaning not taken from existing teams. I am afraid I have been unable to find another site like it. There are sites that list high school helmet logos from Tennessee, Texas and other states, even Illinois. I have been unable to find a site like helmet-depot.com.

The next best offering I have found is MG Helmets. But that site relies on reproductions of existing helmets. There are a few "concept" helmets, but nothing like helmet-depot. Our newest helmet logos for the Eggers, vb5ds and Posse come from that site. Mike Miazga wanted to dump his "Pigs Fly" logo and gave me a choice between a pair of old USFL helmets from the Oakland Invaders and single-season Pittsburgh Maulers. I went with the Maulers because of the working man image for Ham N Eggers.

New owner Joanna Terracciano was willing to go with a fish of some sort, and I found a cool shark logo from the Arena 2 league. Simo's old team name was the Posse. His revival was worthy enough of adding the original helmet design from the Posse's brief fling in the CFL. Simo, a Glen Ellyn native, now lives in Las Vegas.

The rest of the helmet designs come from the original helmet-depot.com. I think I was able to find logos that had something to do with the team name. Of course with DJ Wanberg's Bellagio Card Sharks, I didn't know whether to go with actual playing cards or a shark. I thought the Four Aces was more original.

If any of you come across a reason helmet-depot.com disappeared if you are surfing Fantasy Football Web sites, please drop me a note about them. I couldn't figure out how they made their original helmet logos, but they sure looked good to Dah Commish and perhaps other Commish's out there too.

Week 2: Around the league

Posse owner Matt Simo: "Much like Miami's final rally against the Colts, the Posse's Monday night comeback fell short.  Trailing 63-28 heading into the Colts-Dolphins game, Ronnie Brown and Dallas Clark nearly brought me back.  Their 30 combined points almost helped me pull off the shocker, but I needed one more TD.  And to think Tom Brady was my lowest-scoring player..."


Serkus owner Stan Goff to the Sharks: " I need to fire myself as coach...I didn’t go with my Chargers against the ‘vaunted’ Ravens defense, and it cost me dearly...

Vincent Jackson 100 yards and TD on my bench, Sproles 100 yards and TD on my bench...and worst of all, I switched kickers, from Keading to Folk, and all Kaeding does is kick 4 FGs!!!!!
Any one of those guys in my lineup and I win....instead, I believe you’ve won 35-30....I didn’t get your lineup until today cause you used my work account....but congrats on your 2-0 start."


Sharks owner DJ Wanberg to Serkus:

"Thanks Dude. I confirm my 35-30 victory. Don't feel bad. I can't count how many times I left somebody out of my lineup and they score five touchdowns and rush for 1,500 yards that afternoon."

Week 2 review

When's the last time Sharks owner D.J. Wanberg started the season 2-0? No one can remember. Wanberg is riding the right arm of QB Brees NO, who has piled up all kinds of Finks points in the first two weeks. The Matchup of  Week for Week 3 features an intra-family battle between the husband and wife team of Mike Miazga and defending champion Kris Herigodt. That should be an enjoyable Sunday around their Elmhurst home.

Week 1: Around the League

Posse owner Matt Simo: "It will be a long season for me and the Posse if LT spends the end of most games like last night pouting on the bench..."

Serkus owner Stan Goff: "Yeah I had Sproles on my bench...and not only does he run for the last TD but he also broke off a couple returns the distance....it’s just tough to ever start him if LT is still the guy."

What happened to the old Web site?

A few months ago, my free web provider Tripod had a warning that they would be switching site builder software for free users. I was one of them. After an initial delay, the worst happened.

In another case of bad timing, the software switch was made last week. It was junk. Tripod switched to something called Webon, and the switch put too many of the old things in different places like fonts, headlines and charts that I liked with the old site. I have switched to the Google Sites provider, which I have used for work related things in the past.

I hope you enjoy the new site. As usual, I looking forward to input from other Finks owners. I don't know how to make the Stands page better, but perhaps some idea will come through.

Week 1 review

There were so many close contests in Week 1. Really only two blowouts, one of them belonging to rookie owner Joanna Terracciano, who earned her first Finks victory with a win over the Eggers. Apparently all six vb5ds players scored. Congrats to vb5ds, which faces a first-week winner in the Barrels in Week 2.

The other three matches were decided by five points or less. Thanks to a great start to the season.

Welcome 2009

There have been some changes made to the Finks League Web site. I hope you like them, but as usual feel free to add your input. It's your Web site too. Let me know if there are some cool things you would like to see added.