The Midseason Report
Gentlemen – We are through nine weeks of the 2024 season. There are many grades below hovering around ‘C’ and/or even money, as much of the league has had good weeks and bad weeks. However, a handful of franchises have hit on 60%+ of their bets and enjoy comfortable positions heading into the second half of the season. Week 8 in particular was fruitful for the league, as favorites dominated. The East, South, and West Divisions all have high performers. The North is clustered together in mediocrity.
A lot of wild card bets still remain, and with all of the races pretty tight at this moment, the rest of November will be critical for playoff positioning.
Here’s a breakdown of how the league did as a whole each week:
Week 1: -$1,700
Week 2: -$800
Week 3: +$2,500
Week 4: +$1,900
Week 5: +$1,400
Week 6: +$2,900
Week 7: +$2,900
Week 8: +$4,500
Week 9: +$600
That’s a cumulative total of +$14,200.
Disclaimer: The following is a completely biased report of the first nine weeks of the FMFL. The views, opinions, and observations that follow are those of the Executive Director and are completely subjective.
East Division
Babe
Current Total: $1,900
Winning Percentage: 0.667
Fines: $300
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Denver – Won
Recap: The only thing holding back Babe in the first half was himself with three weeks of late bets. He has the lead and now just needs to maintain to make the playoffs.
Grade: A
Biff Tannen
Current Total: $1,200
Winning Percentage: 0.560
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Detroit – Won
Recap: A big Week 8 wild card bet has Biff sniffing the division and also in a great spot after the midway point.
Grade: A-
Bud Fox
Current Total: -$700
Winning Percentage: 0.417
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Bud hasn’t turned it on in 2024 thus far, and could be a candidate for a wild card bet in the next few weeks to make a run.
Grade: C-
Donnie Jeffcoat
Current Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: A mediocre first half of the year for Donnie, as a few bad breaks and an even winning percentage have him a bit behind, but not out yet, in the postseason hunt.
Grade: C-
Mr. Marbles
Current Total: $0
Winning Percentage: 0.563
Fines: $600
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: There could not be a clearer example of yin and yang than the first half for Marbles. In the first four weeks, -$2,100. In the next five weeks, +$2,100. His comeback has been impressive, but where does he go from here?
Grade: C
Neon Boudeaux
Current Total: $1,000
Winning Percentage: 0.679
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 1 – NY Jets – Lost
Recap: Despite a stinker of a start to the season, Neon has rebounded and vaulted himself into contention in the East.
Grade: A-
OJ
Current Total: $700
Winning Percentage: 0.563
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: OJ is lurking in the shadows, not falling too far behind, but not making too much noise thus far. His wild card bet will likely swing his season one way or the other.
Grade: B+
Patrick Bateman
Current Total: -$1,300
Winning Percentage: 0.368
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The Bateman we grew up loving is nowhere to be found, with just 37% winning wagers in the first half of the season.
Grade: D
North Division
Karl Farbman
Current Total: $500
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Glass half-empty: Farbman didn’t do much in the first nine weeks, with a few -$500 weeks that set him back. Glass half-full: somehow he’s tied for the division lead.
Grade: B-
Karl Hungus
Current Total: $500
Winning Percentage: 0.560
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Week 9 – Buffalo – Lost
Recap: A week ago, Hungus had a lead in the North and took a big risk to take control with his wild card bet. That went awry, and now he’s come back to the rest of the pack for what should be an interesting second half.
Grade: B-
Kenny Powers
Current Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $600
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Without missing bets one week, Kenny would be right in the mix for the division. Regardless, he’s within shouting distance of the leaders and still has his wild card bet available.
Grade: C
Kiko Garcia
Current Total: -$100
Winning Percentage: 0.476
Fines: $600
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Denver – Won
Recap: Kiko cashed in a wild card bet to get close to even money after an up-and-down first half. With the way the North is going, he shouldn’t be counted out in the long run.
Grade: C
Luther Lavay
Current Total: $400
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 4 – Atlanta – Won
Recap: Luther hit on his wild card bet and was another franchise close to breaking away, but is just behind the Karls for the North lead.
Grade: B-
T-Ferg
Current Total: $100
Winning Percentage: 0.519
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: T-Ferg is under the radar, but only $400 back, and still has the ammo to take his shot in the second half of the season.
Grade: C
The Notorious ABT
Current Total: $300
Winning Percentage: 0.542
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: ABT has a decent winning percentage, but will need to keep pace with the other franchises in a crowded field for the last two months.
Grade: C+
Thine
Current Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: 0.476
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Thine has survived thus far, seizing the day when possible, even though winners have been hard to come by.
Grade: C
South Division
Bayonnaise
Current Total: $1,500
Winning Percentage: 0.667
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: A fantastic first half for Bayonnaise, who has plenty of experience vying for the postseason on what should be a hotly contested race in the South.
Grade: A
Boss Hardigan
Current Total: $300
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Hardigan usually sits a little higher up this time of year, so he has some work to do if he wants to push for the playoffs. He’ll be the hunter and not the hunted this time around.
Grade: C
Judge Smails
Current Total: $1,000
Winning Percentage: 0.609
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The only blemish on Smails’ first half is a small fine. Other than that, he’s checking all the boxes on a franchise looking to return to the playoffs.
Grade: A-
Rick Moranis
Current Total: -$100
Winning Percentage: 0.464
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Rick has been treading water for most of the first nine weeks. He chose his division this year, and would not have guessed he’d be in a $2,200 hole at the midway point.
Grade: C
Shecky
Current Total: $2,100
Winning Percentage: 0.679
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The surprise of the season thus far is Shecky’s meteoric rise up the standings. We all know one of his secrets (no Browns bets), but sources say he also retired and is reviewing game film four days a week.
Grade: A+
The Beard of Zeus
Current Total: $400
Winning Percentage: 0.565
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The Beard got up to $700 at his highest, but fell back down after that. He’ll look to make his move over the next few weeks.
Grade: B-
Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Current Total: -$1,400
Winning Percentage: 0.389
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Baltimore – Lost
Recap: Waldo couldn’t spin out of a bad streak in the first half, but a glimmer of hope in Week 9 has him on the long road back to positive money.
Grade: D-
Yaz
Current Total: $500
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Yaz is right where he wants to be despite a 50/50 split on his bets the first half. A winning wild card would put him in a good spot for where the postseason spots have traditionally ended up.
Grade: B-
West Division
Blossom Russo
Current Total: $300
Winning Percentage: 0.647
Fines: $600
Wild Card Bet: Week 9 – Buffalo – Lost
Recap: Blossom had herself a nice first half before a Week 9 wild card bet loss. She can still stay in contention if her gaudy winning percentage holds up.
Grade: C+
Chalky Studebaker
Current Total: $700
Winning Percentage: 0.567
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Chalky is having a solid year, even though he isn’t at the top of the standings. He’ll need a surge to keep up in the red-hot West if he wants to take a shot at the division crown.
Grade: B
Chris B. Corey
Current Total: $1,500
Winning Percentage: 0.682
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: CBC has been picking winners consistently this season and it may be a matter of who blinks first between him and the Donald in the second half.
Grade: A-
Don Mattingly
Current Total: $1,700
Winning Percentage: 0.630
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: The Donald in the lead is a surprise to most. If the past is any guide, a second half meltdown starting in 3….2…..1…..
Grade: A
Larisa Oleynik
Current Total: -$100
Winning Percentage: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Larisa has clawed back to almost even after spending the entire first half in negative money.
Grade: C
The Big Hurt
Current Total: $1,300
Winning Percentage: 0.643
Fines: $0
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Much like Haley’s Comet, The Big Hurt at nearly 65% winners is something many will marvel at knowing it doesn’t happen more than twice in a lifetime.
Grade: A-
The People’s Champ
Current Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: 0.536
Fines: $600
Wild Card Bet: Still Available
Recap: Without his fines early in the year, TPC would be ready for a second half push. Instead, he’ll need to parlay a wild card bet into a run at the postseason.
Grade: C-
Tony Montana
Current Total: $1,100
Winning Percentage: 0.611
Fines: $100
Wild Card Bet: Week 8 – Detroit – Won
Recap: A small blip in Week 9 brought Tony back down in the standings after a formidable first half in his title defense.
Grade: A-
Midseason Report: Total Wagers
Midseason Report: Winning Percentages Through Week 9
Midseason Report: Wild Cards
Midseason Report: Fines
Week 9 Recap
Studs (+$500)
East: Neon Boudeaux
North: Karl Farbman
South: Judge Smails; The Beard of Zeus; Waldo Geraldo Faldo; Yaz
West: Larisa Oleynik; The Big Hurt
Duds (-$500)
East: None
North: Karl Hungus (wild card); Luther Lavay; Thine
South: None
West: Blossom Russo (wild card); Chris B. Corey; Tony Montana
Other Notes:
– After nine weeks, the nine franchises that have used their wild card bets are 5-4. 23 wild card bets are still available.
– There were no bets on Carolina this week, who covered against the Saints.
– The league was a collective +$600 in Week 9
Week 8 Recap
Studs (+$500)
East: Babe (wild card); Biff Tannen (wild card); Mr. Marbles; OJ
North: Karl Hungus; Kiko Garcia (wild card)
South: None
West: Chalky Studebaker; Chris B. Corey; The People’s Champ; Tony Montana (wild card)
Duds (-$500)
East: None
North: Karl Farbman
South: Boss Hardigan; Waldo Geraldo Faldo (wild card)
West: None
Other Notes:
– Mr. Marbles continues his return to glory by winning $500 for the fourth straight week; after starting the year with four losing weeks, he’s almost all the way back to even
– Tony Montana is +$1,500 in the last two weeks
– The People’s Champ won $500 for the second consecutive week
– On the other side of the coin, Waldo Geraldo Faldo is -$1,500 the last two weeks
– There were no bets on Jacksonville or New England and each team covered
– The league was a collective +$4,500 in Week 8
Week 7 Recap
Studs (+$500)
East: Babe; Mr. Marbles
North: Kenny Powers
South: Shecky; Yaz
West: Blossom Russo; Don Mattingly; The Big Hurt; The People’s Champ; Tony Montana
Duds (-$500)
East: OJ
North: None
South: The Beard of Zeus; Waldo Geraldo Faldo
West: Larisa Oleynik
Other Notes:
– Mr. Marbles continues his comeback march by winning $500 for the third straight week; Yaz and Blossom Russo won $500 for the second consecutive week
– Shecky has posted an impressive 14-6 record (70%) through seven weeks; he’s 14-4 (78%) when he doesn’t bet Cleveland; 0-2 when he does bet Cleveland
– The league was a collective +$2,900 in Week 7
Week 6 Recap
Studs (+$500)
East: Mr. Marbles; Neon Boudeaux
North: None
South: Boss Hardigan; Judge Smails; Waldo Geraldo Faldo; Yaz
West: Blossom Russo; Chris B. Corey
Duds (-$500)
East: Patrick Bateman
North: Kenny Powers; Kiko Garcia; The Notorious ABT
South: None
West: The People’s Champ
Other Notes:
– Mr. Marbles won $500 for the second straight week
– Favorites covered in 12 of the 13 games this week
– The league was a collective +$2,900 in Week 6
Week 5 Recap
Studs (+$500)
East: Mr. Marbles
North: Luther Lavay
South: Bayonnaise; Shecky
West: The Big Hurt
Duds (-$500)
East: None
North: None
South: Boss Hardigan; Waldo Geraldo Faldo; Yaz
West: Blossom Russo
Other Notes:
– Luther Lavay is +$1,100 over the last two weeks
– The Big Hurt won $500 for the second consecutive week; Mr. Marbles stopped his losing ways with a perfect week
– Waldo Geraldo Faldo and Yaz each lost $500 for the second straight week
– The league was a collective +$1,400 in Week 5
