Wild Card Weekend Picks
Wild Card Weekend Lines
Reminder: Bets must be in by Friday night at midnight in order to be considered on time.
Vegas Odds from Rick Moranis
Live from the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada – here are your Vegas Odds for the postseason. Brought to you by special guest writer Rick Moranis.
The Beard of Zeus: There is an old saying in Vegas dating back to the original days of the Golden Nugget that kinda goes something like this: “Never bet on a Greek unless he has golden whiskers and eats ambrosia.”
Odds: 5 to 2
Karl Farbman: Both Karl and his brother Mark were something of a furniture design dynasty in 1990’s New York. Karl also won Funny Money championship back in 2008. Can he win another title and add to his budding collection of dynastic holdings? Vegas seems to think it might happen.
Odds: 3 to 1
Babe: Babe didn’t let two feet of snow and a trip Down Under stop him from making the playoffs, but the one obstacle that could slow him down may be that one extra late night gyro that causes him to miss the betting deadline.
Odds: 4 to 1
Mr. Marbles: One of the most consistent franchises yet to bring home the championship bacon, Mr. Marbles hopes this is the year he freaks out the competition once and for all. Vegas has the frying pan warming.
Odds: 6 to 1
Bayonnaise: The Naise’s Paleo Diet has really sharpened his brain this season. Will he now be able to hunt down and gather his first title?
Odds: 10 to 1
Ron Mexico: It is nice to see that Ron turned his life around by taking Tony Dungy’s advice to sign up for Funny Money this year. I’m sure he’s glad he did. Will the rest of the league be once the final whistle has blown in Dallas?
Odds: 10 to 1
Larisa Oleynik: Larisa’s Nickelodeon character Alex Mack was known for her awesome psychokinetic abilities and also for a tendency to melt into a puddle. Vegas can see Larisa’s playoffs going either way.
Odds: 12 to 1
Boss Hardigan: Will the Boss rise to become an ace amongst chiefs or prove to be just a regular guy? We’ll find out in a month.
Odds: 12 to 1
Kiko Garcia: So what if Kiko only hit 12 homers during 10 years of Major League service? This rookie of Mexican descent summoned his inner Speedy Gonzales in the second half and took off sprinting into the playoffs, all while probably still playing solid middle infield defense wherever he is betting from. But, BUT, will his motor still be running come February?
Odds: 15 to 1
The Postseason Report
Gentlemen – Another regular season in the books. It was an interesting year with most of the league suffering huge losses early, then crawling back up the charts. The overall winner and playoff teams were about the same as they have been in past years, and for the most part there was very little drama in the final week. Two of the division winners didn’t even need to use their wild card bet. Speaking of wild card bets, most teams who used it in the last four weeks failed to win, sinking comebacks, hopes, and dreams. Here’s a breakdown of each franchise.
Disclaimer: The following is a completely biased report of the 2010 regular season of the FMFL. The views, opinions, and observations that follow are those of the Executive Director and are completely subjective.
East Division
Bayonnaise
Amount: $1,800
Winning %: 0.570
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 7 – Seattle – Won
Comment: The ‘Naise had a solid second half of the season and was just one right pick away from winning the division. He’ll go into the playoffs for the first time after building a strong percentage.
Midseason Grade: B+
Final Grade: A-
Karl Farbman
Amount: $1,900
Winning %: 0.556
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Did Not Use
Comment: Farbman and Bayonnaise went back and forth this season, with Farbman pulling slightly ahead in the final weeks. He didn’t use his wild card bet and will go into the playoffs for the second time in four years, winning in 2008.
Midseason Grade: A-
Final Grade: A-
Kenny Powers
Amount: -$2,200
Winning %: 0.414
Fines: $600
Wild Card: Week 12 – Pittsburgh – Lost
Comment: Powers looked solid in the beginning of the year, but faded as the season wore on. After he lost his wild card bet, there was no coming back. He showed some promise of being dangerous next year.
Midseason Grade: B
Final Grade: C-
Larisa Oleynik
Amount: $1,000
Winning %: 0.594
Fines: $700
Wild Card: Week 3 – Tennessee – Won
Comment: After a tough first half of the year, Larisa is back in the playoffs for the second year, sneaking in as the last wild card team. Week 17 was the cherry on top, winning $500 and surging into the postseason.
Midseason Grade: C
Final Grade: B+
Mr. DeBlasis
Amount: -$100
Winning %: 0.521
Fines: $700
Wild Card: Week 11 – Baltimore – Won
Comment: As Farbman and Bayonnaise battled for the division, DeBlasis tried to make it a three-man fight for as long as he could. After a couple brutal weeks in December, he didn’t bet in Week 16, sinking his season. There’s always next year.
Midseason Grade: B-
Final Grade: C
The Phoenix
Amount: -$3,100
Winning %: 0.353
Fines: $200
Wild Card: Week 13 – Indianapolis – Lost
Comment: “The PHOENIX IS WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS!!!! HE IS WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS!!!” – Dennis Green
Midseason Grade: C-
Final Grade: D+
The 21th Precinct
Amount: -$1,400
Winning %: 0.433
Fines: $100
Wild Card: Week 17 – Indianapolis – Lost
Comment: The Precinct got behind early and could never gain the momentum to make a late season run. In those weeks in which the entire league suffered, he always seemed to lose $500.
Midseason Grade: D+
Final Grade: C
North Division
Babe
Amount: $1,300
Winning %: 0.529
Fines: $100
Wild Card: Week 11 – Baltimore – Won
Comment: Babe closed strong, winning $500 in the final week and clinching a playoff spot for the second straight year. He had some chances at the division title, but couldn’t hang with the Beard of Zeus.
Midseason Grade: C+
Final Grade: B+
Face
Amount: -$3,300
Winning %: 0.378
Fines: $400
Wild Card: Week 12 – Tennessee – Lost
Comment: Face kept losing…..and losing……and losing. If not for a late season run, he was approaching a few of the single-season records for futility (more on that later). Face disappointed in the second half, and has little momentum going into 2011.
Midseason Grade: D+
Final Grade: F
Kiko Garcia
Amount: $1,900
Winning %: 0.551
Fines: $100
Wild Card: Week 6 – Pittsburgh – Won
Comment: Kiko – what happened? A sub-.500 team at the break, Kiko was as hot as a pistol in the second half, making a run at the division and finishing strong to end the year. The rookie will make it’s playoff debut this weekend.
Midseason Grade: C+
Final Grade: A-
Kimmy Gibbler
Amount: -$1,000
Winning %: 0.447
Fines: $600
Wild Card: Week 5 – Indianapolis – Won
Comment: It was a tough season for Kimmy. A lot of one-win, one-loss weeks prevented her from making up any ground after falling behind early in the season.
Midseason Grade: C-
Final Grade: C
T-Ferg
Amount: $900
Winning %: 0.514
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 16 – Tampa Bay – Won
Comment: What a roller coaster. T-Ferg won $1,000 in Week 16 and was sitting pretty for the playoffs. Then he lost three of his four bets in the final week, and missed the playoffs by a mere $100. Good season – but definitely one of those “what could have been” years.
Midseason Grade: D+
Final Grade: B
The Beard of Zeus
Amount: $2,700
Winning %: 0.633
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Did Not Use
Comment: The Beard couldn’t lose in the second half and took home the overall crown and division title. He didn’t even need to take his wild card bet off the shelf. He’ll make his postseason debut and is the hottest team in the league right now.
Midseason Grade: A-
Final Grade: A
Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Amount: -$1,100
Winning %: 0.514
Fines: $1,200
Wild Card: Week 7 – Denver – Lost
Comment: Waldo got over the 0.500 mark by the end of the year, but alas, it wasn’t enough to come back from the huge fines he accumulated over the course of the year.
Midseason Grade: D-
Final Grade: C-
South Division
Art Schlichter
Amount: -$1,600
Winning %: 0.500
Fines: $700
Wild Card: Week 7 – Baltimore – Lost
Comment: Staying consistent with the first half of the year, Art always seemed to lose his bigger bet, inching his way further and further into debt as the season wore one. Yet, there’s something to be said about being right 50% of the time. Better luck in 2011.
Midseason Grade: D+
Final Grade: C+
Blossom Russo
Amount: -$4,900
Winning %: 0.297
Fines: $1,300
Wild Card: Week 4 – Indianapolis – Lost
Comment: Blossom tied the record for lowest total in league history (with the more-handsome and funnier Chris B. Corey), and set the record for lowest winning percentage of all-time. What’s pathetic is that he did have some fine money, but for the most part he bet each week. He won nine games this season. Nine. Pathetic.
Midseason Grade: F
Final Grade: I (incomplete)
Mr. Marbles
Amount: $1,700
Winning %: 0.625
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 17 – NY Giants – Lost
Comment: Marbles was one point from winning his wild card bet and winning the overall title. He enjoyed such a large lead that he clinched the title with a few weeks to go, and will make his second postseason appearance. Only the Beard of Zeus had a higher winning percentage. A solid season.
Midseason Grade: A-
Final Grade: A-
Teddy KGB
Amount: -$500
Winning %: 0.500
Fines: $200
Wild Card: Week 11 – Pittsburgh – Won
Comment: Teddy got a boost from his wild card bet in Week 11, but was sunk with the rest of the league by some brutal weeks later in the year. He still had a shot with a few weeks to go, but couldn’t put together two correct picks.
Midseason Grade: C+
Final Grade: B-
The People’s Champ
Amount: -$2,700
Winning %: 0.453
Fines: $700
Wild Card: Week 17 – NY Giants – Lost
Comment: After being among the league leaders at the midpoint of the season, the Champ couldn’t pick a winner once October came. He lost his wild card, and $1,000 total, in the last week of the season. A fitting end for a year he’ll like to forget.
Midseason Grade: A-
Final Grade: D
Will Cover
Amount: -$200
Winning %: 0.450
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 15 – New England – Lost
Comment: Losing his wild card late in the year ended a promising run for Will. He should be proud of his rookie campaign, but couldn’t hang with the big boys late into December. He’ll use this as a learning experience when prepping for 2011.
Midseason Grade: B+
Final Grade: C+
Yaz
Amount: $200
Winning %: 0.515
Fines: $200
Wild Card: Week 9 – New Orleans – Won
Comment: Yaz never got close enough to scare division champ Mr. Marbles, despite Yaz’s heckling of Marbles throughout the year. His contrarian philosophies failed him late in the year, and he barely got onto the positive side of $0 in the final week of the season.
Midseason Grade: C-
Final Grade: B-
West Division
Boss Hardigan
Amount: $1,100
Winning %: 0.522
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 11 – Baltimore – Won
Comment: A very strong second half has Boss Hardigan into the playoffs for the first time. If he could have had one or two more breaks go his way, he would’ve won the division crown. He’s trending upwards heading into the postseason.
Midseason Grade: C+
Final Grade: B+
Don Mattingly
Amount: -$2,800
Winning %: 0.409
Fines: $1,300
Wild Card: Did Not Use
Comment: Once again, Don Mattingly, your donation to the FMFL is not tax-deductible.
Midseason Grade: D+
Final Grade: F
Gordon Bombay
Amount: -$300
Winning %: 0.438
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 7 – Kansas City – Won
Comment: Bombay struggled in the second half, mainly distracted by the close quarters he kept with division champ Ron Mexico. Usually one of the FMFL’s most consistent franchises, his percentage slipped this season.
Midseason Grade: A-
Final Grade: C
Rick Moranis
Amount: $500
Winning %: 0.500
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 15 – Philadelphia – Won
Comment: Moranis was the feel-good story of the second half of the season. The traditional doormat of the league made a huge run late in the year, barely missing the playoffs. Who knows which Rick was making the picks in Weeks 1-8.
Midseason Grade: D-
Final Grade: B
Ron Mexico
Amount: $1,300
Winning %: 0.550
Fines: $100
Wild Card: Week 5 – Philadelphia – Won
Comment: Another rookie with a strong showing, Ron took down the division crown by consistently winning the majority of his games each week. Can he keep it going into the postseason?
Midseason Grade: A-
Final Grade: A-
Slovy Maximus
Amount: $0
Winning %: 0.481
Fines: $0
Wild Card: Week 6 – Pittsburgh – Won
Comment: Slovy was so close, yet so far from getting into the playoffs this year. Collapsing late in the season was his ultimate doom. Perhaps, he’ll save his wild card for later in the year in 2011.
Midseason Grade: B-
Final Grade: C
The Notorious A.B.T.
Amount: $0
Winning %: 0.535
Fines: $200
Wild Card: Week 15 – New England – Lost
Comment: The A.B.T. made a huge run in November and December, then lost his wild card bet and couldn’t recover. Had that bet gone the other way, he’d be dancing in the postseason right now.
Midseason Grade: C-
Final Grade: C
Final Regular Season Standings
East
| Karl Farbman | $1,900 |
| Bayonnaise | $1,800 |
| Larisa Oleynik | $1,000 |
| Mr. DeBlasis | -$100 |
| The 21th Precinct | -$1,600 |
| Kenny Powers | -$2,200 |
| The Phoenix | -$3,100 |
North
| The Beard of Zeus | $2,700 |
| Kiko Garcia | $1,900 |
| Babe | $1,300 |
| T-Ferg | $900 |
| Kimmy Gibbler | -$1,000 |
| Waldo Geraldo Faldo | -$1,100 |
| Face | -$3,300 |
South
| Mr. Marbles | $1,700 |
| Yaz | $200 |
| Will Cover | -$200 |
| Teddy KGB | -$500 |
| Art Schlichter | -$1,600 |
| The People’s Champ | -$2,700 |
| Blossom Russo | -$4,900 |
West
| Ron Mexico | $1,300 |
| Boss Hardigan | $1,100 |
| Rick Moranis | $500 |
| Slovy Maximus | $0 |
| The Notorious A.B.T. | $0 |
| Gordon Bombay | -$300 |
| Don Mattingly | -$2,800 |
Overall Leader
| The Beard of Zeus | $2,700 |
| Karl Farbman | $1,900 |
| Kiko Garcia | $1,900 |
| Bayonnaise | $1,800 |
| Mr. Marbles | $1,700 |
Wild Card Standings
| Kiko Garcia | $1,900 |
| Bayonnaise | $1,800 |
| Babe | $1,300 |
| Boss Hardigan | $1,100 |
| Larisa Oleynik | $1,000 |
| ————– | ——- |
| T-Ferg | $900 |
| Rick Moranis | $500 |
Week 17 Picks
