The Top Ten: Week 10
The Top Ten: Week 10
Commentary: In an odd week, almost every franchise in the league either lost $100 or won $100. Very few did anything else. Thus, the rankings have not changed much, except for in the East, where Teddy KGB lost all his bets and fell out of the neck and neck race for the division. As the early games begin, the men will soon be separated from the boys.
(current total; last week’s ranking)
1. Rick Moranis ($2,500; 1)
The past two weeks, Rick Moranis and Don Mattingly have had almost the exact same picks. Is there some collusion possible? If there is another week of similarities, the league office will investigate.
2. Larisa Oleynik ($1,600; 2)
Larisa split her bets and won $100 for the week, but Teddy’s loss is her gain. She now has a $700 lead in the East.
3. Don Mattingly ($1,700; 3)
As Mattingly chases Rick for the division, he has a firm grip on a playoff spot. However, the Thursday night games might rattle him, causing Don to bet on the Chiefs for the remainder of the season.
4. Babe ($1,500; 5)
Babe escaped losing $500 on a miraculous cover by Seattle (a late interception return for a TD). Just percentage points ahead of Mr. Marbles, he assumes the lead in the North.
5. Mr. Marbles ($1,500; 4)
Marbles lost sole possession of the division, but still is in the wild card spot money. But one bad week and he could be on the outside looking in for the playoffs.
6. Yaz ($1,300; 8 )
Split his bets and gained a little bit of breathing room for the division. It now looks to be a two horse race in the South….
7. Waldo Geraldo Faldo ($900; 7)
….and Waldo is losing ground. He could use a perfect week to vault himself back into first. Remember, Waldo has used his wild card bet. Yaz has not.
8. Teddy KGB ($900; 6)
Losing $500 hurts, but it could’ve been worse considering that very little money was won by the rest of the league. Here comes Teddy’s second annual late season slide…
9. Bayonnaise ($900; NR)
Bayonnaise went west and found riches. A perfect week has him back in the playoff race and back in the Top Ten.
10. Art Schlichter ($800; 9)
Lurking in the shadows, Art is currently out of the playoffs, but still has his foot in the door of the division and wild card races. He needs a big week to solidify his spot amongst the big boys.
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Bummy; Mr. DeBlasis; T-Ferg.
DROPPED OUT: T-Ferg.
Week 10 Standings
Week 10 Standings
East
Larisa Oleynik$1,600
Teddy KGB$900
Boss Hardigan$200
Brian Piccolo-$400
Gordon Bombay-$600
The Notorious A.B.T.-$700
Kimmy Gibbler-$1,700
North
Babe$1,500
Mr. Marbles$1,500
Art Schlichter$800
Bummy$600
Blossom Russo$200
The 21th Precinct-$100
Karl Farbman-$300
South
Yaz$1,300
Waldo Geraldo Faldo$900
Mr. DeBlasis$400
The People’s Champ$100
Slovy Maximus$100
Chris B. Corey-$300
Love Doctor-$1,000
West
Rick Moranis$2,500
Don Mattingly$1,700
Bayonnaise$900
T-Ferg$700
Kenny Powers$200
The Beard of Zeus-$100
The Phoenix-$900
Overall Leader
Rick Moranis$2,500
Don Mattingly$1,700
Larisa Oleynik$1,600
Babe$1,500
Mr. Marbles$1,500
Wild Card Standings
Don Mattingly$1,700
Mr. Marbles$1,500
Teddy KGB$900
Bayonnaise$900
Waldo Geraldo Faldo$900
——–
Art Schlichter$800
T-Ferg$700
Bummy$500
Mr. DeBlasis$400
Boss Hardigan$200
Week 9 Picks
Click the PDF twice for the Week 9 Picks.
Everyone on time this week. No wild card bets placed.
Week 9 Lines
Official Week 9 Lines
(visiting team listed first)
SUNDAY
Kansas City
Jacksonville (-6.5)
Baltimore (-3)
Cincinnati
Houston
Indianapolis (-9)
Washington
Atlanta (-10)
Green Bay (-10)
Tampa Bay
Arizona
Chicago (-3)
Miami
New England (-10.5)
Carolina
New Orleans (-14)
Detroit
Seattle (-10)
Tennessee
San Francisco (-4)
San Diego
NY Giants (-5)
Dallas
Philadelphia (-3)
MONDAY
Pittsburgh (-3)
Denver
Open: Buffalo, NY Jets, Oakland, Cleveland, Minnesota, St. Louis
Send picks to nflfunnymoney@gmail.com
Note: Bets must be sent by Saturday night at midnight in order to be considered on time.
The Midseason Report
2009 Funny Money Football League
THE MIDSEASON REPORT
(Disclaimer: All of the opinions expressed throughout this report are completely subjective and are the personal views of the Executive Director.)
EAST
Boss Hardigan
Total: $100
Winning Percentage: .600
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Philadelphia; Week 6 – Lost
Comment: Hardigan has showed signs of life in 2009, but the last few weeks he has been hovering around mediocrity. He already used his WC and will need to get hot in the second half if he wants to make a run at the division.
Grade: C+
Brian Piccolo
Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: .429
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Indianapolis; Week 7 – Won
Comment: A few weeks ago, Brian was left for dead in the cellar of the division. Since then he has won his wild card bet and has avoided falling further away from the rest of the division. He has been a letdown overall, and needs to make up a $2,000 deficit. But I’ve seen stranger things happen in less time.
Grade: C-
Gordon Bombay
Total: -$500
Winning Percentage: .409
Fines: $100
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Historically, Bombay has been one of the most successful franchise owners in league history. Yet, in ’09 he has drastically underachieved. His winning percentage has slipped. Is this all due to the fact that he ended his living arrangements with FMFL owner Don Mattingly? All signs point to yes. Yet, with a wild card bet still in his back pocket, I wouldn’t count him out.
Grade: D
Kimmy Gibbler
Total: -$1,800
Winning Percentage: .375
Fines: $600
Wild Card: Tennessee; Week 4 – Lost
Comment: At the beginning of the season, pundits were wondering which Gibbler would show up. The one from 2007, who performed terribly? Or the one from 2008 who won his division? Kimmy hasn’t recaptured any of last season’s magic. Instead, he lost his wild card bet, failed to make picks two weeks ago, then lost $500 the last week. Stick a fork in him. He’s done.
Grade: D-
Larisa Oleynik
Total: $1,500
Winning Percentage: .611
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Green Bay; Week 7 – Won
Comment: Larisa Oleynik took a different approach to the FMFL. Two co-managers making the picks each week. It paid off in the beginning, as they got off to a torrid pace. Then things got shaky, but in Week 7 they righted the ship with a wild card win. However, their lead is slim and as rookies will they be able to survive nine more grueling weeks? So far so good, but there is a long way to go.
Grade: A-
Teddy KGB
Total: $1,400
Winning Percentage: .632
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: KGB was up and down for the first part of 2009, but in recent weeks has come on strong and now only trails the division leading Larisa Oleynik by $100. He still has his big bet available, but the question is when he should place it. We should not soon forget Teddy’s second half collapse last season, when he went from playoff contender to pretender in a span of four winless weeks.
Grade: B+
The Notorious A.B.T.
Total: -$1,200
Winning Percentage: .381
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Another rookie in the league, the A.B.T. is yet to hit a hot streak. Instead he has slowly but surely declined. Right now, he remains $1,200 behind his arch-nemesis, The People’s Champ. When asked to comment, the Notorious A.B.T. said, “I don’t care if I win my division. All I want to do is finish higher than The People’s Champ. That’s all that matters to me.”
Grade: D+
NORTH
Art Schlichter
Total: $700
Winning Percentage: .636
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Indianapolis; Week 8 – Lost
Comment: In his first year in the league, Art jumped out to a successful start, vying for the lead for most of the season. However, just last week he lost his wild card and $1,000 for the week. He is holding on for dear life as he is on the cusp of not making the playoffs. His winning percentage is solid and he has made shrewd bets thus far (except for last week). If he can bounce back in the next two or three weeks, he has a good shot at the playoffs.
Grade: B-
Babe
Total: $1,400
Winning Percentage: .688
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: There is not much negative that can be said about someone who hits on almost seventy percent of their bets. But I will say something negative anyways. In the last couple of weeks, Babe has had a chance to distance himself from the rest of the North, but failed to do so. After losing $500 last week, he is now trailing in the division after leading for almost the whole first half. In the remaining weeks, these teams are sure to shuffle around quite a bit since only two North teams have used their wild cards.
Grade: B+
Blossom Russo
Total: $100
Winning Percentage: .474
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Minnesota; Week 5 – Won
Comment: Along with Gordon Bombay, Blossom was known as a force to be reckoned with in the FMFL. That is, before this season. Blossom has had a ho-hum year so far, winning some and losing some. Without a wild card win in Week 5, she’d be in the negatives. Although she’s still within earshot of the playoffs, Blossom has fallen off the record-setting pace we are used to seeing from her.
Grade: D
Bummy
Total: $600
Winning Percentage: .609
Fines: $200
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Without his late bets, Bummy would be a playoff team. With them, he is not. And if you were to ask Bummy about it, I don’t think he’d care either way. He still has his wild card and is primed for a run at the division. But there is a good chance that he sleeps in too late on any given Sunday and forgets to bet at all.
Grade: B
Karl Farbman
Total: -$400
Winning Percentage: .412
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: The defending champion has been awful of late, slipping into negative money for the first time this season. His winning percentage is down, but he still has his wild card bet on the table. But so far, Karl has lacked any type of momentum or intelligence.
Grade: C-
Mr. Marbles
Total: $1,600
Winning Percentage: .600
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: We have underestimated his sneakiness. Marbles quietly hung around the top of the division for the last month, then took the lead when both franchises in front of him tumbled. Last season, he struggled down the stretch when trying to win the division. This could be the year that he break through. Just like the other contenders in the North, it will be interesting to see when (or if) he plays his wild card bet.
Grade: A-
The 21th Precinct
Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: .409
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Second-year franchise the 21th Precinct surprised the entire league in 2008 with a strong second half of the regular season which translated into a playoff spot and some money. This year, he has failed to get close to the top of the leaderboard, but has not fallen too far behind to mimic his ’08 run in ’09. But he still has a lot to prove.
Grade: C+
SOUTH
Chris B. Corey
Total: -$400
Winning Percentage: .500
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: His grade is not based on Funny Money performance. It is based on his general demeanor and hair length.
Grade: D+
Love Doctor
Total: -$1,100
Winning Percentage: .467
Fines: $600
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: The good Doctor is one of the less vocal members of the 2009 rookie class, but was plugging along for the first part of the season until last week when he failed to bet. He’s had a steady hand so far and could have a chance in the South, where no one has run away the the division just yet.
Grade: C-
Mr. DeBlasis
Total: $500
Winning Percentage: .545
Fines: $100
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Called by some as, “The most hypnotic team in Funny Money Football,” Mr. DeBlasis is currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs. He is one of the few remaining franchises that has the courage to bet on the Browns. If he can string together a couple of good weeks, the end of the season could be interesting.
Grade: B-
Slovy Maximus
Total: $600
Winning Percentage: .538
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Slovy looks to be on the decline, as he was leading his division for awhile, but then let it slip away. He has continued to bet conservatively, often betting four games. His playoff destiny may be determined by the rest of the league. If the league average comes down, he could sneak in.
Grade: B-
The People’s Champ
Total: $0
Winning Percentage: .500
Fines: $200
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Another past champion that has struggled this season, the Champ uncharacteristically placed late bets two of the last three weeks. It’s no surprise that the Giants’ recent skid has been mirrored by the Champ.
Grade: C
Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Total: $1,000
Winning Percentage: .565
Fines: $100
Wild Card: New Orleans; Week 7 – Won
Comment: Betting with guts, Waldo rose from the middle of the pack two weeks ago with a big wild card win. Although he gave up the lead last week, remains at the top of the division and has solidified himself as a force in the South for the rest of the season. After having a rough end to 2008, we shall see if his veteran knowledge serves him well this year.
Grade: A-
Yaz
Total: $1,200
Winning Percentage: .688
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Right out of the gate, Yaz had a perfect week. Then he slipped up. Then he hovered around $0 for a few weeks. But in the last three weeks, he has won $500 each week, vaulting him to the top of the division. So far, he has been streaky. His final outcome will depend on whether he’s hot at the end of the season.
Grade: B+
WEST
Bayonnaise
Total: $400
Winning Percentage: .500
Fines: $300
Wild Card: Indianapolis; Week 7 – Won
Comment: In typicial Bayonnaise fashion, he had late bets in the first week of 2009. He has been okay since then, but might be too far off of the pace to make any noise in the division. He cashed in on his wild card already, so he needs to stay in the thick of things in the next few weeks. Once the Thursday night games start, expect the fines to pile up.
Grade: B
Don Mattingly
Total: $1,600
Winning Percentage: .722
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Mattingly is the only lapsed member in the history of the FMFL, but he is back with a vengeance. His winning percentage is solid and he has avoided fines all year long. He has also avoided betting the Chiefs every week. Yet, he is still far behind childhood life partner Rick Moranis. If he can cash in on his wild card, the race for the West will get interesting.
Grade: B+
Kenny Powers
Total: $300
Winning Percentage: .478
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Indianapolis; Week 5 – Won
Comment: Kenny is another rookie who has showed some promise in his inaugural campaign. He hit his big bet in Week 5 which took him out of the negatives and on the brink of the playoffs. He has been consistently average the last few weeks, but has put himself in position to be in the mix down the stretch.
Grade: B
Rick Moranis
Total: $2,400
Winning Percentage: .727
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: What is he doing differently? The absolute WORST owner in FMFL history has straight up dominated the first half of the season. In fact, last week was the first time he lost money all season (he lost $100). The preseason Vegas odds had him as a huge underdog. The house is not ready to pay off on those odds. He must be defeated before the season is over.
Grade: A
T-Ferg
Total: $600
Winning Percentage: .545
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: T-Ferg shot up at the beginning of the year and has stayed somewhat close to the leaders as of late. His streakiness could come back to haunt him down the stretch, but so far he has put on a respectable rookie performance.
Grade: B+
The Beard of Zeus
Total: -$200
Winning Percentage: .381
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: Before the season began, The Beard of Zeus vowed that this was his year. Although he has cut down on his fines, his winning percentage is still below .400 and he has yet to capitalize on any momentum from week-to-week. A few bad weeks now and you can write him off for another season.
Grade: C-
The Phoenix
Total: -$400
Winning Percentage: .500
Fines: $400
Wild Card: Still Available
Comment: The self-proclaimed “Chad Johnson of Funny Money,” as well as the self-proclaimed “Mark Cuban of Funny Money,” and most recently, the self-proclaimed “Zac Efron of Funny Money,” the Phoenix has been fined $400. Without those fines, he would be exactly even for the year (.500 winning percentage). Even if he makes a move in the second half, most of his bets will be late.
Grade: C-
Wild Card Bet Update
By popular demand, below is a list of the franchises in each division that have their wild card bet still available (as of the beginning of Week 9).
EAST
Gordon Bombay
Teddy KGB
The Notorious A.B.T.
NORTH
Babe
Bummy
Karl Farbman
Mr. Marbles
The 21th Precinct
SOUTH
Chris B. Corey
Love Doctor
Mr. DeBlasis
Slovy Maximus
The People’s Champ
Yaz
WEST
Don Mattingly
Rick Moranis
T-Ferg
The Beard of Zeus
The Phoenix
The Top Ten: Week 9
The Top Ten: Week 9
(this week’s edition of the Top Ten is sans team notes due to the upcoming MIDSEASON REPORT)
Commentary: Indianapolis and New Orleans failing to cover sunk many teams across the league, but those who sidestepped those teams did pretty well. Art Schlichter lost his wild card bet but still is within arms reach in the North. The races are heating up in the East and South. And in the West, Rick Moranis still has a comfortable cushion.
(current total; last week’s ranking)
1. Rick Moranis ($2,400; 1)
2. Larisa Oleynik ($1,500; 4)
3. Don Mattingly ($1,600; 5)
4. Mr. Marbles ($1,600; 7)
5. Babe ($1,400; 2)
6. Teddy KGB ($1,400; 8 )
7. Waldo Geraldo Faldo ($1,000; 9)
8. Yaz ($1,200; NR)
9. Art Schlichter ($700; 3)
10. T-Ferg ($600; 6)
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Bummy; Slovy Maximus; Mr. DeBlasis.
DROPPED OUT: Bayonnaise
Week 9 Standings
Week 9 Standings
East
Larisa Oleynik$1,500
Teddy KGB$1,400
Boss Hardigan$100
Brian Piccolo-$500
Gordon Bombay-$500
The Notorious A.B.T.-$1,200
Kimmy Gibbler-$1,800
North
Mr. Marbles$1,600
Babe$1,400
Art Schlichter$700
Bummy$600
Blossom Russo$100
The 21th Precinct-$200
Karl Farbman-$400
South
Yaz$1,200
Waldo Geraldo Faldo$1,000
Slovy Maximus$600
Mr. DeBlasis$500
The People’s Champ$0
Chris B. Corey-$400
Love Doctor-$1,100
West
Rick Moranis$2,400
Don Mattingly$1,600
T-Ferg$600
Bayonnaise$400
Kenny Powers$300
The Beard of Zeus-$200
The Phoenix-$400
Overall Leader
Rick Moranis$2,400
Don Mattingly$1,600
Mr. Marbles$1,600
Larisa Oleynik$1,500
Babe$1,400
Wild Card Standings
Don Mattingly$1,600
Babe$1,400
Teddy KGB$1,400
Waldo Geraldo Faldo$1,000
Art Schlichter$700
——–
Bummy$600
T-Ferg$600
Slovy Maximus$600
Mr. DeBlasis$500
Bayonnaise$400
Week 8 Picks
Click the PDF twice for Week 8 Picks.
A few late bets and Love Doctor didn’t make any picks.
