And that's why Bill Byrne, A&M's athletic director, must consider making a change if this team fails to significantly improve over the next two months. Coach Fran is signed through 2012, and word is Byrne won't consider a change until 2008 at the earliest.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap
Like Beckett and Thomas, many fans of the two college squads never attended either university, but have come to identify so closely with these teams that they attach banners to their cars, wear team colors on game day and even have programmed their car horns to play school fight songs.
I am coming after you guys. Slap in the face by the good Doctor, Whitey, Potentate Wade, Brinkley, and Fuquay (I will see you in two weeks).
Hook 'em dont Slice 'em,
Vitty, aka C-Murda
...but we can agree on the morons that are the Texas Tech Red Raidiers. The above image was pulled directly form their athletic department's web page and not photoshopped.
I hate them so...
The NFL season arrives Thursday, and instead of doing a typical preview, the ClayNation column has decided to build a football temple in honor of Vince Young. This makes perfect sense because V.Y. is basically the Cheops of the NFL. In fact, if V.Y. played on either the East or West coast, there is zero doubt that you would have seen every one of V.Y.'s top plays 50 million times.
http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/10335193
Vince Young: Superman? (Getty Images)
How amazing is V.Y.? I'm willing to refer to him by his initials. That should be enough. Need more? If V.Y. wore Kangol hats, he would look cool in them. But I admit to being a late addition to the altar of V.Y. and that's why I contacted Peter Bean, who founded and moderates Burnt Orange Nation to ensure that I didn't miss any plays from V.Y.'s Texas days. Bean has also recently written a book that I've read and enjoyed. If you want an introduction to what Texas football is all about, read the book. Personally, it's just confirmed for me what I already thought, that Texas should be in the SEC.
As if this weren't enough, Bean just started law school so he is doubtlessly formulating his own "love the law" game as you read this. So without further ado, welcome to the 2007 NFL football season with our collaboration featuring the greatest 10 plays in V.Y.'s career. And like all great works of scholarship, we've provided annotation to reveal what we were doing, thinking or saying as we watched these plays. Also, just for fun, count how often V.Y. scores standing up. From high school, college and to the pros. Just unbelievable. Sit back and enjoy.
10. We begin with, for good measure, Vince in high school
Clay: What I love about these highlights is how V.Y. looks the same when he scored in high school as he does now in the pros. It's like everyone else is moving at a different speed. Can you imagine what it would have been like to be a true freshman in high school lining up across from V.Y.? That should have been illegal. And what if you ever managed to tackle V.Y. in high school, wouldn't you watch this play over and over again? Make it your computer wallpaper? I know I would. Of course that's not saying much considering my wallpaper is me just meeting Tim Tebow at a sports bar.
9. Entire Rose Bowl against Michigan (192 yards rushing, 4 TDs, 180 passing, TD)
Peter: Vince arrives. Find me a game where one player so thoroughly dominates like Vince Young did in this game and I'll buy you a round of cocktails.
Clay: Someone needs to make the V.Y. cocktail. My idea: A pint glass of Everclear that is lit on fire. Then the drink will be just as difficult to take down. Also, my friend D.J. e-mailed after this game and said, "How is it possible that someone can be so big and yet no one can touch him on a football field?" A true mystery of physics.
8. Fourth-and-18 scramble against Kansas to keep Texas' 2004 Rose Bowl dreams alive
Peter: Living in Washington, D.C., at the time, I watched Texas games at a big sports bar in northern Virginia. Our BCS bowl hopes seemingly crushed by Kansas, Texas was down and just about out late in the fourth quarter. Then, yeah, Vince did his thing. Seriously, he's the best football player I've ever seen.
7. Scramble against the Pats for a touchdown in the final game of the 2006 season
Peter: This game broke my heart, as V.Y. had brought the Titans back from the dead and to the brink of the playoffs. He gave the Patriots his best shot, including this ankle-breaking TD run, but New England wasn't to be beaten that day. Still, I guarantee you the Patriots probably wish Vince were playing in the NFC.
Clay: The Pats run was classic V.Y. He takes off, there is literally no room, and then, miraculously, he is all alone in the end zone. Also, I love this YouTube video because it makes this run seem like a covert scouting tape made of an upcoming opponent. I picture a scout writing down, "Best way to defend V.Y. ... don't allow the ball to be snapped."
6. The entire game against Oklahoma State when he ran for more than 200 yards (best play was the 80-yard scramble)
Peter: One of my best friends in the entire world moved his wedding up to October so that he and his bride could wed before his father passed from cancer. That meant the wedding fell on a football Saturday, and though we were all good guests and participated in all the wedding functions, easily 100 attendees kept stealing away to the downstairs clubhouse to watch the game. After a disastrous first half, Vince Young simply took the game over, highlighted by this incomparable 80-yard TD dash.
Clay: I watched this game from a Puerto Rican sports bar while drinking a margarita called the Conquistador, which came in a glass that was roughly the size of a Viking helmet. The pain of watching my Vols lose to South Carolina was somewhat assuaged by the show V.Y. was putting on. At one point I actually thought I was seeing things. I remember distinctly thinking, he's the only thing that can make the Titans continuing to lose worthwhile.
5. Touchdown pass to Sweed at Ohio State
Peter: The magnitude of this pass cannot be overstated, and I'll never forget jumping around my buddy's living room when Young floated that perfect pass in to Sweed. That moment, more than any other, got Texas to the Rose Bowl.
Clay: I remember thinking over and over again, there's a black man named Limas Sweed? Also, that Brent Musburger might die.
4. Long scramble to end the half with a touchdown against the Bills
Somehow there is no YouTube highlight of this play. So, instead, we announce a tie at No. 4 and feature this V.Y. third-down conversion on third-and-30. Running.
Peter: Vince reportedly told his teammates in the huddle, "I got this. Just give me a little time and I'll take care of it."
Clay: I said this once at a bar, got slapped and went home alone. Otherwise very similar results.
3. Fourth-and-12 against the Giants to get a first down en route to a 21-point comeback
Peter: Watching this one on television live, I distinctly remember calling my brother after Vince scored the first touchdown to get Tennessee to within 21-7. "He's gonna bring ‘em back," I told him. Amazingly, we weren't even that surprised that he did.
Clay: This is when I knew that the next eight-nine years of being a Titans fan were going to be exhilarating. I got a lot of e-mails from Texas fans when we drafted V.Y. telling me this, but until this moment, I wasn't a full-fledged V.Y. adherent.
2. Scramble against Houston Texans to win in overtime
Clay: I was worried that my DVR was going to mess up this overtime game. Usually I time NFL games so I finish just as the actual game finishes but I don't have to watch any commercials. But this game went to overtime. When Young took off and started running, I jumped up with him. I wasn't yelling or screaming or anything. Just in awe. I watched the play 10 times on DVR as my phone exploded with calls. Only after I'd seen this 10 times did it make any sense at all. Honestly, it's still pretty hard to comprehend. V.Y.'s first game back in Houston, before the home fans, and this is how it ends? Mortals don't pull this stuff off.
Peter: I was one of about a thousand fans clad in a Titans blue #10 jersey in Houston that day, an experience I chronicled here. When Young took off, we all knew it was over, and the pandemonium that ensued was unlike anything I've ever seen at a road game. The best part, though? Listening to the Texans fans call in to the sports radio talk shows after the game. Biggest. Draft. Blunder. Ever.
1. Fourth-and-5 to win the BCS national title game
Clay: This is what I wrote in a live game diary about that game for CBSSports.com: "Incomplete pass on third down for Sweed. It's fourth-and-5 with 26 seconds left and these are the times when players become immortal. And then Vince is Vince. Just incredible. When everyone else is running, he glides. When everyone else is shaking, he's dancing. When everyone else is ecstatic, Young is stoic. Basically, Vince Young is moving to a beat that is entirely his own. Immediately after the touchdown, Vince Young is absolutely still for a moment -- a calm man in a stadium of absolute bedlam."
Peter: I was part of that bedlam, and while Vince was calmly soaking in the moment, I was screaming like a rabid banshee, high-fiving and hugging anyone and everyone around me. There were tears. I keep telling people that my sports life peaked on Jan. 4, 2006. It simply cannot be topped.
Opening day tomorrow, where are the polls.
I don't know if you all read about this, but Danny Balis' (from The Hardline on The Ticket) roommate and bandmate in "Sorta", a really really good indie band from here in Dallas was killed Monday morning under fairly odd circumstances.
http://www.guidelive.com
Regardless, I'd seen Sorta before, they were really good. Twangy enough to sound like some of the older, less rocking Old 97s stuff…but with really good pop sensibilities. You definitely need to listen to the song "85 Feet" on their myspace page. I think you all'd really like it...its about the event from a few years ago here in Dallas in the paragraph below that you may or may not remember...
www.myspace.com/sorta
Source: Dallas Morning News: link unavailable
Paul Stephens and Lorena Osorio's relationship began when she was 15 years old, working at Boston Market in Dallas. He was 24, a college graduate beginning his career in the computer industry. After six years together, police and witnesses say, Mr. Stephens and Ms. Osorio spent their final moments together Thursday arguing in a white Mercedes parked on a the Bush Turnpike overpass. Then, in mind-numbing horror, motorists watched as he pulled her struggling from the car and pushed her to her death 85 feet below in roaring rush-hour traffic. Her body landed on the hood of Janette Durham's Ford Crown Victoria as she drove home from work. "She didn't know what it was and pulled over," said Lisa Durham, the Mesquite resident's daughter, who said her mother was "pretty shaken up" and on Friday afternoon didn't want to talk about the experience. Witnesses said Mr. Stephens jumped to his death moments later. It was a spasm of violence that friends and family members struggled to make sense of Friday. Some described the couple as devoted, doting partners, who planned to marry. Others said Mr. Stephens' charming, witty exterior belied an underlying rage.
Just when you thought SMU's ad campaign was the nadir of their football season...
0 comments Posted by Kelley at 2:29 PM
I'll let the photo speak for itself...note not only the over-excitedness and the terrible t-shirts with that-slogan-which-shall-not-be-named, but also a crucial spelling error...
They also got destroyed by Tech on Monday.
Who will be the first to trade?
I don't know how familiar you all are with the TERRIBLE new SMU Football ad campaign that's all over town now...but here are a few of the billboards. See in the bottom right...there's the mustang and an up arrow. They're theme this year is "Pony Up".
Clever, huh? People hate/resent the Richards group for things like this and the gone-on-far-too-long Chik-fil-a Cows.
Anyways, now that you're familiar with these billboards and know a little about SMU football, they're really good QB Justin Willis from Denton Ryan, and whatnot...bask in the greatness that is this video from two SMU students who had far too much time on their hands and an internet connection and a guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snM2RWfs2xI
Makes me want to dance.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YpbXl5Sp-Wc
Although Mr. Worth's participation can only be described as Woodfin-esque at this point, I have been informed by sources close to Worth that he has been seen purchasing the magazine you see above. While it's not the magazine I would have gotten, it's at least one version of the Fantasy Bible, a must before draft day.
I put the odds that either of these men actually attended either of these universities at 25:1
After watching the draft lottery, my esteemed co-worker, JP Holt, has asked me to go on the record with his official call for dibs on Worth's spot when he inevitably quits a month into the season. He has already begun preparations for next year's draft.
Seems that Frank Gore broke his hand during a non-contact drill yesterday. My money is on the fact that Satan...er...Culbertson had something to do with this.
Pounding 07 Draft Lottery from Stewart Wade and Vimeo.
This has to happen fast, as your draft spot may affect your decision-making abilities for this issue. We had discussed a few different ways to divvy up the winnings, but we need an unbiased vote to make it official. Just as reference, there will be a 6-team playoff and a 6-team consolation bracket playoff. I figure there are 3 ways to go about divvying:
OPTION 1:
Same as last year.
1st - $360 (60%)
2nd - $180 (30%)
3rd - $60 (10%)
OPTION 2:
Gives consolation members something to play for.
1st - $360 (60%)
2nd - $180 (30%)
Consolation Winner - $60 (10%)
OPTION 3:
Gives consolation less and still rewards 3rd - they are both essentially winning their money back.
1st - $348 (58%)
2nd - $156 (26%)
3rd - $48 (8%)
Consolation Winner - $48 (8%)
Post your arguments on the comments section and I will add a 4th or 5th if need be. We'll vote on Sunday and Monday.
Just when I thought all hope was lost to find the full Pounding 06 material, I have stumbled across just that. It has every message board post, including the ones where we talked about this upcoming season. We had forgotten one glorious thing that shall be put into effect immediately - the AP/Coaches Poll. No, nobody knows how it will work, but it will. Work, that is.
Ok, here's the link. Enjoy. Pounding 06 League Office
after a flurry of initial activity, things have certainly slowed down. our leader has retreated to his spider hole in LA and cut off all radio contact. he's been dark for two weeks, working on the master draft plan. can someone verify he is still alive? has al-jezeera received a video from him recently? the troops are getting restless and need wade-induced fantasy football chatter.
With the draft date set (I have yet to hear of anyone who can't do September 2nd), we can now move onto question number three: to divide or not to divide?
We did NOT have conferences last year, so the playoffs consisted of the Top 6 teams in the league. Most other leagues I have seen have 2 conferences, which means for us, the Top 3 in each conference would advance to the playoffs.
So, yes, it would be possible that the #4 seed in the North Division could have a better record than the #1 seed in the South Division, but wouldn't make the playoffs. That most likely wouldn't happen, but chances are good that someone who would have gotten into the post-season under the old system would get left out under a new one.
Also, I believe the scheduling would also be affected - each team would probably play others in their own conference more frequently than those in the other conference. There also would probably be a division record and an overall record just like the NFL has for tiebreak purposes. Not quite sure about all the details on that yet.
Anyways, that's the question. Two 6-team conferences or one big division like last year?
"I'm relieved. That's all I can say. There was no way I was goin to an expansion team. Name one notable star on the Houston Texans in 2002. There just ain't one, and I ain't gonna be that guy this year. I'll leave that to Sterling."
After consulting the poll, LaDanian Tominson has every reason to be "relieved", knowing that he won't find himself in a disaster situation somewhere in Temple, San Francisco, or North Frisco.
"I'd much rather be forced into another group victory bath than have a front office more unorganized than my sense of humor."
Well said LT. Well said.
-----------------------------------
ISSUE #2: Rosters
What to do about the rosters. Yes, there were a few games last year won by kickers, some won by Jason Taylor alone, and a serious issue with the Bears D/ST. To refresh your memory, here's what we had going on last year:
Starting Lineup (10 total):
1 QB
2 RB
1 RB/WR
2 WR
1 TE
1 DP
1 D/ST
1 K
Bench:
6 Open Slots
1 Injured Reserve
I can't get to the discussion we had last year on the boards, but I know there was an idea to throw in one Independent Offensive Player (OP), which can be a QB, RB, WR, TE, or K. Some also wanted to get rid of kickers and DPs. We also have to address the situation we have now with 2 additional teams, which would have (last year) removed 32 more players from waivers.
So do we reduce the total number on each team or keep it the same? On one hand, we don't want to minimize the importance of waivers, but on the other hand, we don't want to have too little to work with each week.
Thus, the vote.
Obviously there could be hundreds of options, but I've narrowed it to 5.
OPTION #1: Keep it the same as last year.
OPTION #2: Keep it the same as last year, but remove one bench spot (to help compensate for the expansion).
OPTION #3: Everything is the same, except we replace the DP with an OP.
OPTION #4: Reduce the starters to 9...
1 QB
2 RB
1 RB/WR
2 WR
1 TE
1 D/ST
1 OP
OPTION #5: Drastically different...
2 QB
2 RB
2 RB/WR
2 WR
1 TE
1 D/ST
If anyone has any other options, let it be known. I never added a 2nd TE because there were hardly enough good TEs to go around last year with 10 teams. We'll vote on this on Tuesday.
So we're going to have a few things to settle over the next week or two, and being the democracy that is Pounding '07, I will be putting everything to a vote. The day before said vote, I will lay out the options and let those who want to make an argument do so. Then I will simply post the poll and take the winner after a couple days. If there is a tie, the P7 Inner Circle will consult and come to a reasonable decision. Okay, so here goes...Issue #1.
Side Note: Gillean just referred to me as the "League Commissioner of Nerds", much in the same way The Sports Guy's wife refers to his as the "League of Dorks". It's a proud moment in the Wade household.
So I think this has been the hot topic (if there was one) throughout the offseason. How will we determine the draft order? Do we go in reverse like the NFL? Do we wipe the slate clean and give everyone a fair shake? What do we do about the 3 expansion teams? Should they get a shot at the #1 pick?
All good questions.
I have a few answers. First, I have decided that the draft will be determined much in the same way the NBA draft is determined: a lottery. A select few are aware of how this lottery will be performed, but that is yet to be revealed and is not the issue we are dealing with tonight.
The issue tonight comes with 2 questions:
1. Should the lottery be weighted (as the NBA does it)?
2. Should the 3 expansion teams be included in the lottery?
That is what we are here to answer. I have devised 5 possible solutions to this problem, which I have listed in no particular order.
OPTION #1. The slate is wiped clean. All teams (INCLUDING the expansion teams) have an equal chance at the #1 pick. For example, if we were using ping pong balls, then everyone has 1 ball in the pool from the beginning.
OPTION #2. The slate is wiped clean for everyone EXCEPT the expansion teams. There are 2 lotteries - the first with 9 balls (last year's remaining P6 league members) to determine picks 1-9 and then a 3-ball lottery with the expansion teams to decide picks 10-12.
OPTION #3. Same deal as #1, but with a twist. Everyone gets 1 ball, but the 3 expansion teams are not added to the pool until AFTER the #1 pick is decided. Then everyone would be eligible for picks 2-12.
OPTION #4. The lottery is weighted in reverse order of the final standings from last year. Fuquay would have the least amount of ping pong balls and whoever finished in 9th place (Woodfin was 10th) would get the most balls, giving them the best chance for a high pick. There are really only 2 options for the expansion teams in this scenario. First, they are relegated to the back-end BEHIND fuquay, so for example, if Fuquay got 4 balls in the pool, the expansion teams would each get 2 or something.
OPTION #5. Or secondly, the expansion teams wouldn't be involved and would have a 3-ball lottery after picks 1-9 were decided, as in option #2.
So those are the five options we have to choose from. I will make my case for the one I think we should go with in the comments section, and I hope you will do the same. If you have a separate scenario that you think works better than these five, let it be known. I will put the poll up tomorrow after everyone has had a chance to express their opinion.
Mr. White,
I tend to have a flare for the dramatic. But honestly, I have neither the time nor the inspiration for such things. The fantasy football season is among us boys, and those of us who want to get a jump start must do so quickly. Therefore, in my haste, I shall disperse with the vital information.
White, you're in.
Vittetoe, you're in.
Worth, you're out. Okay fine, you're in.
I will start the league within this week and we will begin taking polls to decide the rules, roster, etc. I won't require a majority to pass a motion, so if you don't vote, you won't be heard. That's all for now from your dictator-esque Potentate.
Sincerely,
Potentate Wade
so when, oh mightiest of the mighty potentates, are we going to get the official invites for the new season? not to tell the potentate how to do his job, but me thinks he had best hurry and get it set up so we can secure an online draft date and time other than 2:00AM on the Tuesday night four weeks before the season starts.
i speak from experience and i only ask because i care.
http://games.espn.go.com/ffl/tools/projections?
My favorite, so far:
Jake Delhomme-
Generally speaking, a successful QB is efficient or gifted or some combination of the two. Delhomme is none of these things.
Not sure if we'll follow these to a T, but here are the rule changes:
http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?id=2916017
In addition, the ESPN did a nice face-life to the fantasy homepage:
http://games.espn.go.com/frontpage/football?campaign=ff06free&source=in_horiznav_ffl
I thought we'd take a slight detour from "higher thinking" and enjoy two of the greatest characters ever conceived. I give you Purple and Brown.
No matter what side you are currently on, this guy makes a compelling argument.
You can literally spend a day on here:
http://dugout.progressiveboink.com/
selection: http://dugout.progressiveboink.com/archive/dugout4-22-06.htm
Its almost as funny as this:
http://hyspace.progressiveboink.com/
Click on the image to see a larger version. Brilliant.
So it was a normal bloody normal day at the office. A meeting here, conference call there, checked my email for the 40th time, when all of a sudden an inter-office email appears like a bullet out of the blue sky. Being the socially conscious group that I know you all are, I'm sure you have heard of the (RED) campaign. It seems that Tribal DDB has won all of their creative work, including joinred.com, which I (you heard me right) will be helping with. So the question you should be asking yourselves is who then will the creative be presented to? Someone said his name, but I'm not sure I remember. Bosco? Brana? Oh that's right, Bono. And I quote straight from U2's horse's mouth:
"So what do you think of Tribal DDB? I like them and am thinking of hiring them…"Oh he hired them. And me along with 'em. So even though Sterling probably still can't read these blogs yet, as he would be the most jealous of you all, I'm sure you can appreciate the utter awesomeness of the scenario.
I leave on Monday for Dublin where I will meet with or without the entire band and select Irish diplomats. And I promise you this - while we are at the Discotheque, I will find out what lies beneath The Edge's beanie.
----------
UPDATE: I have been informed that I will not be going, nor will I be allowed to speak, consult with, or even mention said rock star's name ever again while in this office. But in a little while I'll try and at least touch someone who talks with him and then take a picture of my hand.
Just as good.
I'm sure most of you have seen the Philips Bodygroom site ShaveEverywhere.com (if you haven't, you are in for true greatness), but our New York office just updated it with one of the funniest videos I've seen in a while. So click here and, once it loads, click "See how Bodygroom saved the beach" in the bottom right-hand corner.
You're welcome.
I feel as though the Anteater, whilst humble, should be celebrated today. Here are some of my favorite anteater links:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. Almost as inspiring as Sul Ross.
2. Peter, my favorite anteater
3. Now this is fantastic editing.
4. Simple, yet intriguing.
5. Such a proud history.
6. A happy Anteater.
7. And finally, my favorite Anteater link of all.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
An excerpt from link #5:
The anteater was chosen in 1965 when students were allowed to submit mascot candidates, which would be voted on in a campus election. An undergraduate named Schuyler Hadley Basset III is credited with choosing the anteater and designing a cartoon representation, having been disappointed with other mascots such as a roadrunner, unicorn, and golden bison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLd22ha_-VU
This is just a link from a Sports Guy column, but I thought it was funny enough to merit bringing it to everyone's attention in case they missed it
I was just killing some time on Facebook today, and I came across this picture of esteemed League Commissioner Potentate Wade. Needless to say, I was surprised to see that our glorious leader appears to actually be a senior in high school. To think, he had us all fooled.
Perhaps Henry Melton should've learned that there's no need to do this when you can just take the E-Bus home from 6th street like we always did. He'll probably avoid any sort of prosecution, because he was a 4-star Rivals.com RB recruit who really proved his worth to the Longhorns when he tried to run past Army-veteran Mark Dodge on a crucial 4th and 1 last year in the 1st quarter. We all know what happened then...
Mitt Romney in a recent Yahoo News article:
"She gave a speech a couple of days ago and laid out her vision for America. And as I listened to her I figured her platform wouldn't even get her elected in France," Romney, who was a missionary in France, said to chuckles and applause.Not supporting Romney's statements -- just thought it was appropriate for our recent discussions.
Here's the full article.
So as I was reading the Sports Guy's latest article, I couldn't help but get mildly excited, and slightly frightened, about the prospect of Kobe and Dirk playing together. But I do have a few questions.
Who's team would it be? Is Dirk involved in front office business, and if so, would he even allow this trade to happen? Would Dirk want to win a championship where he played second fiddle to a previous 3-time NBA champion? Doesn't he wanna get the monkey off his back on his own? Would Cuban be willing to break up the Mavs' future by getting rid of Josh Howard and Jason Terry for a chance to win a championship now with Kobe? Would Mitch Kupchak be dumb enough to trade Kobe to another Western team? And as Bill pointed out, "would Cuban ever admit that Dirk was irrevocably damaged by the 2006 Finals and the Warriors-Mavs series, to the degree that he needed to acquire another crunch-time guy?"
After asking myself all these questions, I have only one more:
Will Kobe be playing in Dallas? No. Possible. Way.
-------------------------------------
Side Note #1: Check out that Lakers/Suns trade he outlined. Reeeeediculous.
Side Note #2: Has anyone else listened to Bill Simmons' podcast? Hearing him talk for the first time was...interesting. And by interesting, I mean that it simply doesn't work and that he should stick to writing, much in the same way that most radio hosts are on radio for a reason.
If you want a more thorough comparrison, click here.
I think by "Simon Lezama, 27, of Odessa, Texas" they mean "Chris Vittetoe, 25, of Dallas, Texas"...
The decision has been made; however, arrangements for the announcement are still in the works. Until then, enjoy these daily cartoons produced by yours truly and our senior writer, Bum Ellis.
Wade,
You continue to raise the bar. The blog is an excellent outlet for your nerdery. As Triumph the Angry Dog would say, "you are a huge nerd"--though we certainly appreciate your nerdery.
Unfortunately, you and Herrington are once again implicated in yet more shenanigans. The P6 archive (awesome, by the way), has awarded Herrington the Pleasure Town Championship Trophy. Of course, I hate Fuquay as much as the next guy, but he did win the championship--even if it was by blind luck. If the archive awarded anyone else in the league the P6 Championship, I would simply dismiss it as a typo; however, we all know that Herrington holds the key to Young Wade's heart, and I fear that Wade has tried to rewrite history for the Desert Fox. As Louis Brandeis once said, "sunlight is the best disinfectant." Hopefully this league will keep a watchful eye on the Herrington-Wade duo and prevent other ill-conceived plans for revising history.
Fightin' for truth and justice,
The Mighty Fightin' Bye Weeks
Pounding '07 is a premier ESPN Fantasy Football league created by league owner Stewart Wade. It had humble beginnings, attracting a mere 10 members at its inception in 2006 under former name Pounding '06. Starting out as any normal league would, user interactivity was at a moderate level at best; however, Week 3 brought about a significant change. Ryan Ellis, senior writer and fellow Pounder, revolutionized fantasy football as we knew it. A recap of each week's action began appearing in the league's message board, and soon took center stage on the League Manager's Note section. Soon after, Wade added his first weekly preview, which was heralded throughout the members as "brilliant" and "mind blowing". As the league progressed in its first season, member interactivity grew at an exponential rate. Wade could hardly keep up with the growth and recruited two more Pounders, Neill "Sultan" Fuquay and John "Pickle Matrix" Herrington, to assist behind the scenes. Together, these four league members make up what has become known as the "Inner Circle".
Membership has become something of a status symbol, drawing in old friends and new acquaintances. After one member, Mike Woodfin, was unanimously discarded for violating the worst of all offenses, fantasy indifference, Wade began taking applications for the 2007 season. The league was expanded to 12 members, leaving 3 empty spots that needed filling. By the time the news hit the wire, Wade had already received recommendations and applications for five hopeful candidates.
Two applicants have already been accepted, Jeff White of Dallas and Sterling Worth of Southern Oklahoma/North Frisco. The final spot will be revealed in due time on this very site.
Pounding '06 Members:
1. Stewart Wade :: LA Wadebox - Known among league members as "Potentate", Wade grew Pounding 06 from the ground up using sheer brilliance, creativity, and a little help from Ron Burgundy. He was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs with an underwhelming Eli Manning at the helm.
2. Ryan Ellis :: The Bye Weeks - "Bum" Ellis was the original champion in 2005, when his Speedway Bums routed everyone he faced with then unknown Larry Johnson. His Bye Weeks weren't quite as successful as their predecessors, finishing 2nd in the Consolation Bracket. Ellis also is responsible for birthing the weekly recaps, which have grown into a cult favorite among league members.
3. Neill Fuquay :: Dorothy Manteeth - Neill, or as most know him, The Sultan, was an early underdog in 2006, having not received any votes for "Early Favorite" at the initial vote. That did not deter him, however, as his Dorothy Manteeth ripped through the playoffs and came out as the winner of the 2006 Pleasuretown National Championship and collected $120 for his victory. They also enjoyed baths. All male baths.
4. John Herrington :: Dallas Shake 'n Bake - Herrington had a way about him. A nerdy way. And that earned him the coveted "Pickle Matrix Nerd Award" a record 3 times in 2006. His out-of-this-world quotes made him infamous among league members and his Shake 'n Bake were known for their up-and-down play. They finished 4th after an embarrassing 50-point defeat at the hands of The Avenging Frank Gores.
5. Matthew Kelley :: New Orleans Aint's - Kelley, known for his incoherent yet polarizing commentary, had a roller coaster of a season. Falling victim to the Madden Curse, his team was reeling from the loss of Shaun Alexander. He earned the nickname Donovan McKelley by winning the 1-Man Team Award an unprecedented 4 times in the first 5 weeks. Somehow they came out clean on the other side, advancing to the championship game, where they met and succumbed to the unstoppable force that was The Dorothy Manteeth.
6. Ryan Culbertson :: The Avenging Frank Gores - To fully grasp the impact of Culbertson on the league, you have to take a long glance back at draft day. After losing his coveted Gore, Culbertson went on an vengeful tear through the regular season, masquerading as Satan himself. Unfortunately for him (and the Mavericks), the regular season really means nothing, as he was the second victim of the Manteeth's wrath. Culbertson has finished 2nd and 3rd in the 2 seasons with the Pounders, so he is clearly a threat in the future. Either that, or he's Fantasy's equivalent to the 90's Buffalo Bills.
7. Jeff Hildebrand :: Nashville Rock Fu - Hildebrand was one of those silent, and often un-deadly, foes in the 2006 season; however, his Rock Fu did post the highest one-game total that may never be surpassed: 171 points in Week 14. Unfortunately, they posted it in the 1st round of the meaningless Consolation Bracket. Sadly, Hildebrand, will probably be known best for his attempt to underhandedly screw the league and post the most REEdiculous trade the world has seen -- Maurice Jones-Drew, TO, Bears D/ST, and Josh Scobee to The Smoke and Brew for Jamal Lewis, Laverneous Coles, Steelers D/ST, and Dave Raynor. The trade was vetoed before it even had a chance and league members were calling for the expulsion of Hildebrand and possibly Brinkley (his roommate, creating an even shadier situation) for even entertaining the trade. Hildebrand issued a formal apology and all has been forgiven. But not forgotten. Strike one Mr. Hildebrand.
8. Jeff Brinkley :: Nashville Smoke and Brew - If anyone learned a lesson the hard way, it has to be the Smoke and Brew's Jeff Brinkley. Unconfirmed sources have told me that Brinkley currently holds the record for number of Defense Players taken in a fantasy football draft: Four. Other players available during his run on IDP's: Vernon Davis, LJ Smith, Jeff Wilkins, Ravens D/ST, and Kellen Winslow. Brinkley also fell victim to the league's toughest schedule, starting the season 0-4 despite being favored in every game. Nashville had a down year and will be nerding it up in preparation for next year's draft, where he looks to take at least 6 IDP's.
9. Dr. Paul Wade :: Purdue Avenue Allstars - The underdog of the year, the Allstars were never seen as a threat, but made some waves late in the season. Having the unfortunate honor of drafting LaMont Jordan, the Allstars relied heavily on Waivers for the entirety of their season. They will most likely be known for the upset of the century, ending Satan's 11-game winning streak. All bones have healed and he will be ready for next season.
10. Mike Woodfin :: Sucky McSuckertons, My Dog Stanley, Want Roy Williams - Woodfin was quite the storyline, or lack of storyline, in 2006. His favorite player "Empty Slot" made several appearances during the season, but never actually earned him any points. Maybe next season. Oh that's right, he's gone. Learn from his example younglings -- fantasy indifference is an offense that shant be taken lightly.
