The Top Ten: Week 7
Commentary: Another rough week for the league, as only two favorites covered in Week 6. Much like earlier in the season, most dropped back, but those who won money benefitted greatly. Usually the league doesn’t hinge on the Monday Night Football game, but Denver’s big comeback transformed how the league currently looks. For some franchises, the season was saved by Peyton’s arm and the Denver defense.
(current total; last week’s rank)
1. Will Cover ($1,400; 1)
Will dropped $100 but still maintains a comfortable lead in the South. The top two overall franchises are in his division, while the rest of the Southern gentlemen have fallen off the pace.
2. Don Mattingly ($900; 9)
Don surges up the ranks and gets within $500 of Will Cover with a perfect week. If the playoffs started today, the Donald would easily be in. However some are skeptical as to whether Donnie is, how you say, equipped for a run at a division title.
3. Yaz ($800; 4)
The only problem with Yaz, one of the senior Funny Money members, in 2012 has been that he falls asleep before making his bets on Saturday nights. He had a perfect Week 6, but suffered the late fine. Still, he has quickly risen to the top of the North, and is $600 ahead of the rest of the contenders.
4. Blossom Russo ($400; 3)
Blossom benefitted from the Denver comeback, and stays in the lead in the West. He lost $100 on the week, but it could have been much, much worse. He has Kenny and Face nipping at his heels.
5. Karl Farbman ($300; 7)
Karl eked out $100 last week and is still leading the East by $300. His mediocre results have gotten him this far, but some say Farbman should quit gambling and go back to designing furniture.
6. Larisa Oleynik ($200; 6)
Still hanging around, Larisa lost $100 and is now $600 behind the North leader. This is about the time of year Larisa bets her wild card…..
7. Bayonnaise ($200; NR)
The ‘Naise got off to a hot start this season, then dropped back, and is now treading water in the North. Historically, he has performed better in the second half of the year, and if that holds true this season, he’ll be in prime position to make the playoffs.
8. Kenny Powers ($100; 10)
Now in second place in the West, Kenny only trails his sister Blossom for the division lead. Though we’ve had family battles before in the FMFL, if they continue to be #1 and #2, Thanksgiving might be a little “awkward.”
9. Face ($0; NR)
Face, another senior member of the league, and the other half of the Funny Money’s version of Statler and Waldorf, mimicked his buddy Yaz in Week 6. Perfect week, but late bets. Yet, he’s back in the thick of things in the West division and shook off a slow start to the season.
10. Gordon Bombay ($0; NR)
Without Peyton Manning’s comeback on Monday, Gordon would have had a catastrophic week, but instead, he’s just behind Karl in the East.
Others receiving votes: Ron Mexico; Waldo Geraldo Faldo; Kiko Garcia
Dropped out: Ron Mexico; Waldo Geraldo Faldo; Kiko Garcia
Week 7 Standings
East
| Karl Farbman | $300 |
| Gordon Bombay | $0 |
| The 21th Precinct | -$600 |
| The Beard of Zeus | -$600 |
| Teddy KGB | -$1,000 |
| Boss Hardigan | -$1,100 |
| Mr. DeBlasis | -$1,200 |
North
| Yaz | $800 |
| Larisa Oleynik | $200 |
| Bayonnaise | $200 |
| Ron Mexico | -$100 |
| Waldo Geraldo Faldo | -$200 |
| Kimmy Gibbler | -$200 |
| The Phoenix | -$700 |
South
| Will Cover | $1,400 |
| Don Mattingly | $900 |
| The Notorious A.B.T. | -$400 |
| Babe | -$900 |
| T-Ferg | -$1,000 |
| Rick Moranis | -$1,200 |
| Mr. Marbles | -$1,200 |
West
| Blossom Russo | $400 |
| Kenny Powers | $100 |
| Face | $0 |
| Kiko Garcia | -$200 |
| Art Schlichter | -$900 |
| Bud Fox | -$1,000 |
| The People’s Champ | -$1,200 |
Week 6 Picks
Week 6 Lines
Note: Bets must be placed by Saturday night at midnight in order to be considered on time.
The Top Ten: Week 6
Commentary: Another wild card bet was won in Week 5 by Kenny Powers, and he made it count by having a perfect week. A few franchises have plummeted in the last two weeks. The top overall franchise and lowest overall franchise are $3,000 apart, which is normal for this point in the season. However, take out a few outliers and most franchises are within the -$100 and $500 range. This all adds up to mean that in the next three weeks, the playoff contenders will separate themselves from the phonies.
(current total; last week’s rank)
1. Will Cover ($1,500; 1)
No one’s hotter that the W.C. Will won a three-teamer last week and extends his lead in the South. He’s $1,100 ahead of the second place team and an astounding $1,900 ahead of the third place team. Cover also has a very comfortable lead for the overall title after five weeks.
2. Ron Mexico ($500; 3)
Ronnie dropped $100 last week, but now has sole possession of first place in the North. The division is by far the best in the Funny Money this year, with all seven franchises within $1,100 of the lead. Only $400 separates the top five in the North.
3. Blossom Russo ($500; 7)
Blossom has some staying power, as she picks up $300 in Week 5 and maintains the lead in the West. It’s relatively tight at the top of the division right now, but Blossom is the most experienced of the current contenders.
4. Yaz ($400; NR)
Yaz’s tried-and-true “bet on the team after the illness announcement” proved to be effective as ever as he rode the Colts to a perfect week. He went from the middle of the pack in the North to right on the heels of Ron Mexico.
5. Kiko Garcia ($300; NR)
Kiko is hanging around in the West, just $200 behind Blossom. He won $300 on the week and is in playoff position right now.
6. Larisa Oleynik ($300; 6)
Larisa dropped $100, but is in the mix in the suddenly crowded North division. If history is any guide, Larisa will be the franchise to beat come season’s end.
7. Karl Farbman ($200; 4)
Karl also lost $100, but increased his lead in the East due to most of the rest of the division dropping back. Farbman is $300 ahead of three other franchises, a lead that is certainly not safe this early in the year.
8. Waldo Geraldo Faldo ($200; 6)
WGF’s hat is in the ring in the North as well, and he’ll need a big Week 6 to stay in it. Of all the franchises in this pack, perhaps the one who wins his/her wild card bet first can break away.
9. Don Mattingly ($400; 10)
The Donald has another solid week, but the divisional crown is slipping away as he can’t keep up with Will Cover. Many thought Don Mattingly would be a well-oiled machine this season, but the results have been underwhelming so far.
10. Kenny Powers ($0; NR)
Oh, brother. Here comes Kenny! A $1,000 week has catapulted Powers from the basement of the West into third place. He’s now only $500 off the lead for the division and will look to keep his momentum going in Week 6.
Others receiving votes: Gordon Bombay; The Beard of Zeus
Dropped out: Bayonnaise; Gordon Bombay; The 21th Precinct; The Beard of Zeus
Week 6 Standings
East
| Karl Farbman | $200 |
| Gordon Bombay | -$100 |
| The 21th Precinct | -$100 |
| The Beard of Zeus | -$100 |
| Teddy KGB | -$400 |
| Boss Hardigan | -$600 |
| Mr. DeBlasis | -$1,300 |
North
| Ron Mexico | $500 |
| Yaz | $400 |
| Larisa Oleynik | $300 |
| Waldo Geraldo Faldo | $200 |
| Bayonnaise | $100 |
| Kimmy Gibbler | -$300 |
| The Phoenix | -$600 |
South
| Will Cover | $1,500 |
| Don Mattingly | $400 |
| Babe | -$400 |
| T-Ferg | -$500 |
| The Notorious A.B.T. | -$500 |
| Rick Moranis | -$700 |
| Mr. Marbles | -$700 |
West
| Blossom Russo | $500 |
| Kiko Garcia | $300 |
| Kenny Powers | $0 |
| Face | -$400 |
| Art Schlichter | -$400 |
| The People’s Champ | -$600 |
| Bud Fox | -$1,500 |
Week 5 Picks
Week 5 Lines
Note: Bets must be placed by Saturday night at midnight in order to be considered on time.
The Top Ten: Week 5
Commentary: It was a return to normalcy in the Funny Money in Week 4. The first-string referees returned, and the FMFL franchises were more consistent, falling back into line with how a week usually goes. Some won $500, some lost $500, and some continued to tread water. There wasn’t a ton of movement at the top, but there still has yet to be a franchise that completely breaks away from the rest of the pack.
Babe was successful with his wild card bet in Week 4, but lost his other wager, netting $600 on the week. He didn’t crack the Top Ten this week, but we have a long way to go.
(current total; last week’s rank)
1. Will Cover ($1,000; 2)
Will has stretched out his lead in the South with a huge $500 week. He’s $900 ahead of the rest of the division, and with another perfect week could be tough to catch.
2. Bayonnaise ($600; 1)
The ‘Naise dropped $100 but remained in a tie for the lead in the North. More surprising than his fast start in the 2012 season is the fact that he still eludes late fines week in and week out, which always plagued him early in his FMFL career.
3. Ron Mexico ($600; 4)
Ronnie bounced back from a -$500 week with a $500 week and is back atop the North with Bayonnaise. So far, the North Division is shaping up as the best race in the league.
4. Karl Farbman ($300; 6)
Farbman pushed a game and won a game, and maintained a slim lead in the East. He’s $100 clear of the second place franchise.
5. Larisa Oleynik ($400; 9)
Much like Ron Mexico, Larisa predictably bounced back and won $500, getting back into the race in the North. Week 5 could separate the top four in the division.
6. Waldo Geraldo Faldo ($300; 7)
Waldo is holding strong, and won another $300 in Week 4. While many other have struggled, Waldo has excelled the last two weeks.
7. Blossom Russo ($200; NR)
Whoa! A perfect week vaults Blossom to the top of the West. It took four weeks, but in my opinionation the sun is gonna surely shine.
8. Gordon Bombay ($200; NR)
Gordon won $500 and jumped up to second place in the East. He only trails division-leader Karl by $100.
9. The Beard of Zeus ($0; NR)
The Beard of Zeus won’t go away in the North either. He is hanging around and is only $300 out of the lead.
10. Don Mattingly ($100; NR)
The Donald cracks The Top Ten this week, but at just a miniscule $100, he is $900 behind Will Cover in the South. However, to this point, Don looks like Will’s only competition in the division.
Others receiving votes: Kiko Garcia; Yaz
Dropped out: Art Schlichter; Yaz; Teddy KGB; The 21th Precinct
Week 5 Standings
East
| Karl Farbman | $300 |
| Gordon Bombay | $200 |
| The Beard of Zeus | $0 |
| The 21th Precinct | -$400 |
| Boss Hardigan | -$500 |
| Teddy KGB | -$500 |
| Mr. DeBlasis | -$800 |
North
| Ron Mexico | $600 |
| Bayonnaise | $600 |
| Larisa Oleynik | $400 |
| Waldo Geraldo Faldo | $300 |
| Yaz | -$100 |
| Kimmy Gibbler | -$200 |
| The Phoenix | -$500 |
South
| Will Cover | $1,000 |
| Don Mattingly | $100 |
| Mr. Marbles | -$200 |
| Babe | -$300 |
| T-Ferg | -$400 |
| The Notorious A.B.T. | -$600 |
| Rick Moranis | -$600 |
West
| Blossom Russo | $200 |
| Kiko Garcia | $0 |
| Art Schlichter | -$300 |
| Face | -$400 |
| The People’s Champ | -$500 |
| Bud Fox | -$1,000 |
| Kenny Powers | -$1,000 |
