DeathKill Football League Blog #1

So, here I sit, having played King Solomon to the rest of my league...

This is now the eighth year I have been doing this Fantasy Football stuff, and my word, how it has evolved. From back in the day when it was my Brother-in-Law doing all the calculating and tracking with Excel spreadsheets, getting the scores and stats from the paper, to now - fully automated website, easy as pie. Joerg, I don't thik you got enough credit for the effort you put in.

But still the role of Commissioner is an important one. As much as one would like to automate the whole process, it still takes one guiding hand, one stern overseer to make things run correctly. Now, I don't consider myself super stern, but if I see stupid shit going on, then I will do my best to stop it. And in other cases, it is always good to open up an argument or two, for the sake of debate. After all, this is a democratic country, right? As much as Marcus may say "fuck off you foreigner" in whatever warped sense of humor he may have, like it or not I am here to stay. And yup, you agreed on me being Commish. Suck it up, big fella.

So, we're here for another season. After the fiasco that was last year's finances, it has been great to get everyone paid up for their setup fees and entry fees in advance. Makes it a hell of a lot easier for me to keep track of. The finances are the worst fucking thing about fantasy sports - figuring out who owes what, who owes what but has a little bit taken out as winnings, who wins everything and how much is outstanding that these guys need to pay to that guy who then needs to cut a check to this fella who then turns around and says "hey, use this as my entry fee for next year"... it gives a guy a headache. But, that's what I signed up to do, and I like the challenge. Pity my math sucks.

This year should be interesting. After a few years being overrun with guys from Target corporate, we have a couple of new faces, this time from my neck of the woods. No, I don't mean New Zealand, but my place of business. And by the way, to whoever wins, give Bobby or Rafferty a holler, since they are Financial Advisors, they know how to turn your $500.00 into a 126.4% increase over a three-year period, right?

Down to brass tacks - I think I had a pretty good draft, given the fact that I had the 8th pick. Not a bad pick, but I have never had the ability to get one of the top three draft picks in all my time in this league. Sure, I would love to have LJ or LT on my team, but that didn't happen, so I made the best of it. I think I got a steal in Travis Henry, and was amazed that I walked away with Reggie Bush. I have a feeling that Bush will have a better year than Brian Westbrook of the Eagles who, in our league, went six picks higher. Westbrook is playing with a questionable QB in McNabb, Bush is playing with a stud in Brees. Bush has also seen his production ramp up significantly in the latter part of last season as his experience increased and New Orleans figured out how best to use him. Like I said, I think I got a steal right there. My other sneaker pick? Jamal Lewis. How many of you out there have no idea who he played for last year? That's right. And with a powerful O-Line, Cleveland is going to fo their best to relieve the pressure on whoever their QB may be (probably Quinn) by running the ball. JL is back after a year figuring out his reconstructed ankles and is saying that he feels better than ever, making cuts he hasn't made since college, quicker acceleration etc. And he's only 28 - over the hill? I think not people... Kellen Winslow as well - if they're not handing off to Jamal, then it's a quick drop off to one of the future stud TE's. He caught the most passes as a TE last year, and this year he's only going to get better. As for the other TE's out there - Gonz hasn't done shit for the last few years for KC, and Gates for SD is only getting more and more coverage on him. Winslow's year, is what I reckon.

QB - Tom Brady, always a threat with the corp of WR's he has, and my back up is Alex Smith of San Fran, on the verge of a breakout year as he gets more experience undre his belt. No matter how many carries Frank Gore has for SF, remember half of those are dump-offs, and that counts as a pass for my QB!

Kickers - I have the most accurate in the league in Kaeding - sure he's not a Viniateri or Wilkins, but he's going to get 90% or more that are snapped to him through the bars...

My receiving corp I am not too sure on, but I think I got in well with Houshmawhatshisname from Cincy early, and a couple of quiet sleepers in the Jackson boys Darrell and Vincent. Joey Porter for Oakland, if Cuante is throwing his way, look out statistice and points, here I come.

Defensive/Special teams? I got fucked over on that pick, but I'm not bitter. We'll see. I have a feeling that some people didn't look at our scoring system before making their picks, and we'll leave it at that.

But here I seem to be, tooting my own horn. I'm not about that though. Lots of things can and will happen this year, so I will roll with the punches, wherever they may come from. Everyone in our league has the ability to have a great year, and in the end, it's the Owner that manages his team the best that wins it all.

That, and a little bit of luck.

The Joy Of Being Unwashed...

I have to admit - sometimes being all stinky-dirty is fantastic. I just got back from three days camping on the North Shore - no showers, no swimming (Lake Superior is waaaaay too cold right now...), dusty campground and Crocs.

So, here I sit, enjoying my filth. I have dirty, messy hair. I smell like a campfire. My toes are encrusted with filth. I have more whiskers than I know what to do with. My nails are a mess - dirty, ragged, broken... The only things I did on the cleanliness front are semi-regular addition of deoderant and brushing my teeth.

I have had jobs in the past where I come home covered in dirt and crap - oh, sometimes I long for the days as a landscaper, but nowadays it's the office life for me. Thus my enjoyment of the great outdoors and the filthy pleasures it brings.

You can call me "Pig Pen".

Just thought I'd share before I shower up and get back to normal...

Tree-Huggers Unite!!! (so I can get you all at once...)

Sonar banned in Navy's SoCal exercises

Tue Aug 7, 11:24 AM ET

LOS ANGELES - A federal judge has banned the Navy from using high-power sonar during exercises off the Southern California coast, ruling that the strong underwater sounds can cause widespread damage to whales and other marine mammals.
U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper issued a temporary injunction Monday, rejecting a Navy request that she dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The council says the Navy planned to use so-called mid-frequency sonar over thousands of square miles of ocean in an area rich in marine life. The council contends the high-power sonar causes marine mammals to beach themselves and leads to other harm.
The injunction will force the Navy to comply with federal environmental laws protecting marine life, said Joel Reynolds, a senior attorney for the NRDC.
"We don't take issue with the Navy's judgment that it needs to use this technology," Reynolds said. "Our concern is when they test and train, they do so in a responsible manner."
The Navy said it would appeal the injunction, arguing that sonar is a vital tool in detecting submarines.
"To the extent this court decision prevents us from using active sonar, it potentially puts American lives and our national security at risk," the Navy's Third Fleet commander, Vice Adm. Samuel Locklear, said in a statement.
The Navy maintains that it already minimizes risks to marine life. It has monitored the ocean off Southern California for the 40 years it has employed sonar without seeing any whale injuries, the Navy said in a news release.
The Navy has planned a series of 14 training exercises using sonar. It says it has already carried out three of these and has found no evidence of strandings, injuries or behavioral disturbance to marine mammals.
Reynolds said the ban would remain in effect until his organization's lawsuit is settled.
___
Oh, watch the greenie tree-huggers rejoice! What's next? If the Navy somehow manages to detect submarines without the use of sonar, they won't be able to fire a torpedo at it in case it hits a whale, a tuna, a dolphin, some squid, herring, or krill? The Air Force won't be able to fly because they could hit some birds? What about their missiles? Heaven forbid if they were to loose one of those bad boys off in an area that may have birds in it. Oh, that's right, the whole sky may have birds in it. So, instead of firing missiles or guns at each other, we'll just have you land and throw rocks at each other. Soldiers won't be able to use their rifles in case they miss their target and take out an errant squirrel? Fuck that, ladies and gentlemen. The greenie's have gone too far.

Besides, do they really ever read or study what the Navy is doing regarding the environment? I bet not. If they did, then maybe they would take a look at this:

http://www.whalesandsonar.navy.mil/documents/Sonar_Marine_Mammal%20_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Pretty interesting reading. Looks like the Navy may actually give a shit, contrary to what the NRDC may say.

Assessing My Own Mortality

Since the I-35W bridge collapsed on Wednesday evening, I have spent a bit of time looking into my own mortality. I sit back and think, why was I not on that bridge?

You see, I should have been. Every day, I leave work at 5.45pm. Driving from my building where I park my car, I travel around the back of the Metrodome, up 11th Ave to Washington Ave, turn right across 35W then left, onto the ramp and onto the bridge. That takes twenty minutes. Twenty minutes added on to 5.45pm gives us a time of 6.05pm. Thus, at 6.05pm on Wednesday I should have, would have been on that bridge.

At 6.05pm Wednesday August 1st, 2007 the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapsed, all 450 odd feet of it, 65 feet down into the river below.

But I wasn't on it. Why not? For some strange reason, I decided to leave ten minutes early that day. Ten minutes earlier taking me over the bridge at 5.55pm. I never leave early. If anything I leave later more often than not. But something told me to leave early that day. What is was, I do not know. I wonder what it was? Was it some internal feeling of unease? Was it some greater power watching out for me? I know my call was not as close as some, but still, it's unsettling. Some people changed their routines and ended up in the midst of that collapse, others changed their routine and missed it. Like me.

The No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge, driven by Bobby Labonte, commemorated the I35W bridge tragedy Sunday at the Pennsylvania 500. The car is sponsored by Twin Cities-based General Mills.