Lavonardo

For the first time in four years I did not lose the final game in Yahoo’s fantasy football league.

Seventh position in the league is no source of great joy, though. The team played way inconsistently - the offense was not reliable (on any front, be it the QB, running backs or the receiver corps), kicker stalled after a fabulous start, and the previously reliable defenses were continuously outplayed.

The season’s down in the league, but NFL barges onwards. Niners are out of playoffs despite flashes of brilliance from Alex Smith and very reliable footwork of Frank Gore. The Colts have taken the perfect season-jinx too seriously and dropped a few games - the very last and unexpected one to Texans. The elder Manning ought to get his troops in form for the playoffs, the margins are tiny at the top.

Lost the consolation placement game, and will be bravely fighting for spot #7 this weekend.

This time it was pretty much three factors that settled the loss: bad play by the receivers (across the board, bench fared no better), Giants scoring only on running plays (Eli Manning had very decent yards, but no touchdowns), and a great game by the opposing quarterback (Michael Vick scoring on no less than four throws).

Oh well, time to concentrate on the fantasy basketball and hockey leagues.

… it’s reality for the brave Hakkapeliitat.

The last game of the regular season was a defeat, and that means that a trip to the consolation row just began. On one hand it’s sad that the series of bowl appearances ground to a halt after four consecutive ones, on the other this was a long time coming.

Lost the last playoff spot by the smallest of margins, by placing fifth, after getting beaten by the team that finished fourth. The loss was entirely my own doing. Ran the wrong RBs - both guys on the bench reached the end zone, whereas Marion Barber, hero of two previous weeks with four TDs, ran a grand total of three carries. Picked up Vince Young for this round, and while he has the makings of a franchise quarterback, he wasn’t too productive this time around. Eli Manning, who had shown improvement the previous week was steady, but I misguidedly ran the Tennessee freshman instead.

So, at 7-7, it’s time to face the challenge of the consolation, and emerge at the top of that. Not as flashy as a bowl game, that’s for sure, but a decent goal nonetheless.

The Colts, who at one point looked like a sure thing were neatly trounced by the Jaguars, and they still haven’t clinched even their division yet. And Drew Brees sure has landed on his feet in New Orleans, showing with a five touchdown game that he’s not dependent on the top flight receivers he enjoyed working with in Chargers. Chargers, who are in scary form themselves, as LaDainian Tomlinson has already set a new record for regular season touchdowns - and there are still two games to go.

This week’s loss in yahoo’s fantasy football league was brought on by one man: the very same that almost single-handedly whupped the Broncos.

The conspicuously named LaDainian Tomlinson scored four touchdowns, and pushed Hakkapeliitat once again below .500.

The team was not helped by the sensationally well-playing rookie tight end Marques Colston spraining his ankle on the very first offensive play by the Saints, nor by both Packers and Rams being shut out by opponents.

And with the Bears having their hands surprisingly full with the Jets, and Rex Grossman only bringing home one thrown touchdown, the loss was certain.

Watched the first half of Dallas putting on a very good show against the reigning Colts - forcing three turnovers in the first quarter alone. Colts suffered their first loss of the season, but I’d long since climbed into bed.

Indeed, there’s finally NFL on television during the regular season. Viasat shows a good selection of games each weekend, most of them live, and I’m sorely tempted to continue the free two-week trial subscription. If they offer a decent rate until the superbowl, I’ll consider myself sold.

Had to check this week’s output from Hakkapeliitat before turning in.

Lost. By a wide margin.

Lost to the top team in the league. And despite a decent score racked up by Hakkapeliitat, the opponent just had piled on more points. Players such as Joey Galloway just seemed to have their lucky days, despite their teams picking up hefty losses, the players scored big on individual stats.

No second thoughts - wouldn’t have won even with optimal allocation/benching of players from the team.

Whoo, after a series of mediocre weeks, the Hakkapeliitat returned to the winning fold. Despite Eli Manning not having his best day in the windy Meadowlands stadium, the team pulled through. Aided mightily by the Dallas running backs (three touchdowns between Jones and Barber) and two fourth quarter touchdowns by a serious candidate for the rookie of the year award: Marques Colston.

Sadly the Hakkapeliitat team seems to be on a losing streak, third loss in a row is no laughing matter - and a place in the season finishing bowl appears to retreat further from grasp.

An ugly and low-scoring week for participants, and unfortunately my team scored lower.

The embarrassment of the loss is increased by the three byes taken by the opposing team. In a week where none of the offensive players picked up touchdowns, the kicker scores no field goals and the defense acts like a sieve, a loss is only to be expected and accepted.

Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck’s injury brought down Deion Branch as a scorer, but no explanation for the lousy output of the Dallas running backs really exists.

At 3-3-0 now, following a loss to the Brown Bombers, who remain behind the Hakkapeliitat on the merit of points scored alone.

Rex Grossman, the quarterback sensation of the year, and one of the factors of the resurgent Chicago Bears had a not so good night against the Arizona Cardinals’ defense. No touchdowns, and six turnovers. Yes - six turnovers. Two lost fumbles and four picks by the opposing secondary.

The Bears were saved by the second factor of their success - defense. The second half of the game was dominated by the Bears cornerbacks, returning picks for touchdowns.

So, the Bears remain undefeated 6-0, together alone on top with the Colts who enjoyed a bye this week. Both teams are coming off very shaky games, so talk of a perfect season is not appropriate at the moment.

And it wasn’t really Grossman’s off night, nor my failure to run Deion Branch, who got his chance in a depleted Seahawks WR corps. Nope, even with Grossman replaced by Eli Manning and Deion’s two sixpointers counted in, the Bombers would’ve still opened a can of whupass on the declining Hakkapeliitat. Sure could have used some sacks from the otherwise reliable Philly defense, or more than PATs from the Rams’ Jeff Wilkins.

An unpleasantly narrow defeat.

Big shoulda: replaced Philly defense with that of Indianapolis. The latter were so-reliable last year, but this time had their hands full with the lowly Titans.

As expected, the last game of the week did not change the fantasy football result.

Hakkapeliitat won this week, and now occupies a decent slot in the standings. Though with the season barely begun, it’s way too early to draw conclusions.

Unlike the parent league, in which the Chicago Bears have established themselves as one of the top dogs, and this seaon it’s not just their defense that’s state-of-the-art, but the offense has been clicking as well - on the ground, as well as in the air.

Looking reasonably good from a managerial perspective.

Though the opponent’s choice of wide receivers is downright scary - messieurs Williams from the Lions and the Jags have put in painfully good numbers. Fortunately offset by two key members of the Dallas offense - both Terry Glenn and Julius Jones hit sixes against the surprisingly inept Tennessee defense. The only black spot on the agenda was the even more inept Niners uphill struggle against lowly Kansas City, and Frank Gore’s continued drought.

The final nail of the victory was the game featured on Sunday Night Football: Bears vs. Seahawks. The perennially lowball Chicago team won over the last year’s superbowl finalists, and with a very convincing display of offense and defense. Seattle, of course, was hampered by the absence of Shaun Alexander, their greatest offensive weapon, but the receiving corps had a bad evening overall.

Unless Donald Driver and the Eagles defense screw something up Real Bad[tm] on Monday Night Football, this week ought to be a victory, the lead is comfortable.

The funkiest play of the week-award goes to the Jets, against the Colts. Such lateral fests are not seen often, and this one ends in a fumble. Fortunate for the Colts, less so for future attempts of such plays by worried coaches. They, and the quarterbacks, in an act to keep the game entertaining, sure ought to take risks - but not expect every attempt to end in the mirth of the legendary Stanford vs. Cal game of 1982 - even the transcript of the last down is hysterical (and unlike the previous reference, the wikipedia entry does provide links to live footage).

First loss, now at 2-1.

An easy shoulda would have been replacing the newly Seahawks-installed Deion Branch, with Steve Smith, walking off a nasty achilles heel injury.

An even better coulda would have been Eli Manning not throwing three interceptions, before putting in an impressive 27-point rally in the fourth quarter. Giants, as a whole, have been late to start, and this time they did not pull an upset like against the Eagles last week.

2-0, after the second week. Seems that every guy on the team outplayed himself with regard to expectations. And Deion Branch got traded to Seattle, so that’s one fewer receiver to worry about.

Eli Manning was just scary in executing a comeback victory over the Eagles. But I certainly ought to pick up a second quarterback soon.

Kept the television tuned to ESPN most of the evening - this was the first week of Monday Night Football, a fact that been drummed in for the best part of the week in advertising.

Missed most of the game between Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins, and caught the lopsided affair between Sand Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. Lopsided in the sense that Raiders were completely shut out, and seemingly inept in both offense and defense. But the Chargers’ game was pleasant to watch - the improbably named LaDainian Tomlinson carved up the silver’n'black defense for 100+ yards without trying too hard, and the perennial tight end, Antonio Gates, caught his first receiving touchdown of the season.

The week ended in a victory for Hakkapeliitat, but the margin wasn’t very wide. Especially when I left the highest scorer of the week, Jeff Wilkins, the St. Louis Rams’ kicker, on the bench. And it was pleasing to see that niners had a credible game - with both the running and passing games featured on the box score.

The heat is on in Yahoo Public 689962. The Hakkapeliitat team is ready to defend its three consecutive bowl appearances (never mind that all of them turned out to be losses).

As with last year’s effort, the draft didn’t go too well. Got the seventh ticket, by which time Peyton Manning, the cornerstone of the last two years was gone, as were the running backs with the highest expectations.

But in a sixteen game season, each game may be decisive, and every year there are both flameouts and new stars. The rest of the year shall show whether I picked more of the latter than the former.

After Michael Quarshie’s recent injury, Klaus Alinen was the lone finn remaining on the rosters of the national football league.

One that sadly did not make the cut into the final lineup of 75. Yes, the team can nominate no less than 75 players, but has to cut down the field to 53 before the actual season starts.

Still haven’t set up this year’s draft for Yahoo’s fantasy football. Haven’t really read up on previews on the web (the relevant magazines oddly have utterly failed to materialize in Helsinki. Guess I’ll run Peyton Manning for the first spot - he’s been pretty much indispensable the last few seasons, and with Edgerrin James gone, the team may have to rely on passing game even more than before. Or not, maybe the Colts have developed a running threat inconspicuously, just like they evolved into a defensive powerhouse last season.

Seems that the local magazine agencies have stopped importing any preview magazines for the soon-starting football season.

Not that reading any made a difference in the draft in fantasy football on yahoo, but at least the illusion of choice would be preserved. And debates between this or that wide receiver would have some facts behind them.

The web’s rife with corresponding material I’m sure (just too lazy to google for it right now), time to go hunting before the draft doors are closed.

It’s a threepeat: Haagan Hakkapeliitat lost the third bowl in a row.

With a comfortable margin (provided mainly by a workman-like effort by Santana Moss), so that no amount of second-guessing (”should have played Evans instead of Porter”) can turn the loss into a victory.

Some of the changed picks worked out all right: Denver’s defense stifled Oakland to the point of just a single field goal, and Indy’s Peyton Manning played just a single quarter.

A loss is a loss, but the team came a long way - especially considering its humble beginnings in the first six weeks.

Whoo! Despite an off-key performance by Mr. Manning (TWO interceptions) and his Colts, made it to the superbowl in the yahoo! league by beating a good rival (split the series during regular season) in the semifinals.

For the third year in row, as the brand new fantasy sport profile-functionality shows.

Thus far it’s always been a loss in the bowl - raging seahawk Shaun Alexander neatly took care of Hakkapeliittas’ ambitions this year. And with Colts persistently stating that they will rest their key players now that they’ve secured home field advantage through the playoffs, the QB position is definitely shaky.

And as the games are played on christmas eve, I’ll check the results post-facto, not live through the nfl.com.

This week’s noteworthy things. Last week’s, actually. Missed them yesterday.

Stiff upper lip:

• The shipment with Wired #10 on it was discovered, and akateeminen delivered the magazine.
• threadless has a sale.
• Part 2 of the album of the year thus far is out on the 23rd.
• Peyton Manning’s in great form.

Soiled blue collar:

• Sobriety on gigs. Though KMFDM was enjoyable either way.
• The Sony rootkit and the Prisoner-remake news were indeed grim.
• CSI hops on the “games cause violence”-bandwagon. I hope there’s a jackthompson-esque lawyers amongst the collateral damage.
• Unfortunately, so is Drew Brees. Lost the week’s NFL-roster game.